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PAROCHIAL   AND    PLAIN    SERMONS 

VOLUME  I 


CARDINAL    NEWMAN'S    WORKS. 

J.     <i. 
PAROCHIAL  AND  PLAIN  SERMONS.     8  vols.  .         .         .each     3    6 

SELECTION,  from  the  Parochial  and  Plain  Sermons      .         .         .         •     3    6 
FIFTEEN  SERMONS  preached  before  the  University  of  Oxford,  between 

1826  and  1843 36 

SERMONS  BEARING  ON  SUBJECTS  OF  THE  DAY           ..36 
DISCOURSES  ADDRESSED  TO  MIXED  CONGREGATIONS    .         3    6 
SERMONS  PREACHED  ON  VARIOUS  OCCASIONS   ...         3     6 
LECTURES  ON  THE  DOCTRINE  OF  JUSTIFICATION    ..36 
AN  ESSAY  ON  THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  CHRISTIAN  DOCTRINE    3    6 
THE  IDEA  OF  A  UNIVERSITY  DEFINED  AND  ILLUSTRATED      3    6 
UNIVERSITY  TEACHING.    Considered  in  Nine  Discourses.    Beingthe 
First  Part  of  '  The  Idea  of  a  University  Defined  and  Illustrated.' 
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AN  ESSAY  IN  AID  OF  A  GRAMMAR  OF  ASSENT         .         .         .36 
AN  l.MDEXED  SYNOPSIS  OF  NEWMAN'S  'GRAMMAR  OF  AS- 
SENT.'    By  the  Rev.  John  J.  TooHEY,  S.J 36 

THE  VIA  MEDIA  OF  THE  ANGLICAN  CHURCH.     2  vols.,  each     3     6 
CERTAIN  DIFFICULTIES  FELT  BY  ANGLICANS  IN  CATHOLIC 

TEACHING   CONSIDERED.      2  vols each      3      6 

PRESENT  POSITION  OF  CATHOLICS  IN  ENGLAND          .         .36 
APOLOGIA  PRO  VITA  SUA 36 

Poclcet  Edition,  2S.  6d.  net  ;  leather,  3s.  6d.  net. 
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ESS.\YS  ON  BIBLICAL  AND  ON  ECCLFSIASTICAL  MIRACLES     3    6 
DISCUSSIONS  AND  ARGUMENTS  ON  VARIOUS  SUBJECTS     .     3    6 

ESS.^YS  CRITICAL  AND  HISTORICAL.     2  vols 70 

HISTORICAL  SKETCHES.     3  vols each     3    6 

THE   CHURCH    OF   THE    FATHERS.     Reprinted  from  'Historical 
Sketches."     Vol.  II. 

Pocket  Edition,  cloth,  gilt  top,  2s.  net  ;  leather,  gilt  top,  3s.  net. 
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SELECT  TREATISES  OF  ST.  ATHANASIUS  IN  CONTROVERSY 

WITH  THE  ARIANS.     Freely  translated.     2  vols 70 

THEOLOGICAL  TRACTS 36 

VERSES  ON  VARIOUS  OCCASIONS 36 

LOSS  AND  GAIN  :  The  Story  of  a  Convert 36 

CALLISTA:  a  Tale  of  the  Third  Century 36 

THE  DREAM  OF  GERONTIUS    .         .         .         sewed  6d.,  cloth,  net     i     o 
School  Edition.     With  Introduction  and  Notes  by  Maurice  Francis  Egan, 

A.M.,  LL.D.     IS.  6d. 
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and  five  other  illustrations.     Bound  in  cream  cloth,  with  gilt  top.     3s.  net. 
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MEDIT.ATIONS  AND  DEVOTIONS     ...  .         .    net     5    c 

Also  in  Three  Parts  as  follows,     is.  net  each. 

Part  i.— THE  MONTH  OF  MAY. 

Part  2.— STATIONS  OF  THE  CROSS. 

Part  3.— MEDITATIONS  ON  CHRISTIAN  DOCTRINE. 

LETTERS  AND  CORRESPONDENCE  OF  JOHN  HENRY  NP:W- 

MAN    DURING   HIS   LIFE   IN   THE   ENGLISH    CHURCH.       With   a   brief 

Autobiography.     Edited  at  Cardinal  Newman's  request,  by  Anne 

MozLEY.     2  vols 70 

ADDRESSES  TO  CARDINAL  NEWMAN.  WITH  HIS  REPLIES, 
ETC.,  1879-81.     Edited  by  the  Rev.  W.  P.  Neville  (Cong.  Orat.), 


LONGMANS,   GREEN,   AND    CO. 

LONDON,  NEW  YORK,  BOMBAY,  AND  CALCUTTA 


PAROCHIAL  AND   PLAIN 
SERMONS 


,  J- 

By  JOHN   HENRY  NEWMAN,   B.D. 

FORMERLY    VICAR   OF   ST.    MARY's,    OXFORD 


IN  EIGHT  VOLUMES 
VOL.    L 


/\^£IV  IMPRESSION 


LONGMANS,     GREEN,     AND     CO. 

39     PATERNOSTER     ROW,     LONDON 

NEW  YORK,  BOMBAY,  AND  CALCUTTA 

1910 


N 


PREFACE, 

'I'^HE  Sermons  here  repubKslied  were  written 
and  preached  at  various  periods  between 
the  years  1825  and  1843. 

The  fii'st  six  volumes  are  reprinted  from 
the  six  volumes  of  "Pakoohial  Sermons;"  the 
seventh  and  eighth  formed  the  fifth  volume  of 
"  Plain  Sermons,  by  Contributors  to  the  Tracts 
FOE  the  Times,"  which  was  the  contribution  of 
its  Author  to  that  Series. 

All  the  Sermons  are  reprinted  from  the  last 
Editions  of  the  several  volumes,  pubhshed  from 
time  to  time  by  the  Messrs.  Rivington. 

They  made,  in  their  day,  partly  through  their 
publication,  but  yet  more,  probably,  through 
their  living  effect  upon  those  who  heard  them, 
a  deep  and  lasting  impression  for  good  on  the 
Communion  for  whose  especial  benefit  they  were 
I.] 


vi  Preface. 

designed  ;  they  exercised  an  extensive  influence 
very  far  beyond  it ;  and  their  republication  will 
awaken  in  many  minds  vivid  and  grateful  re- 
collections of  their  first  appearance. 

They  met,  at  that  time,  very  real  and  great 
moral,  intellectual,  and  spiritual  needs  of  man, 
— in  giving  depth  and  precision  and  largeness 
to  his  belief  and  apprehension  of  the  mysteries 
of  God,  and  seriousness  and  accuracy  to  his 
study  and  knowledge  of  liimself,  of  his  own 
nature,  witli  its  manifold  powers,  capacities,  and 
responsibilities,  and  of  his  whole  relation  to 
the  supernatural  and  unseen.  They  found  a 
response  in  the  hearts  and  minds  and  con- 
sciences of  those  to  whom  they  were  addressed, 
in  marvellous  proportion  to  the  afiectionate  and 
stirring  earnestness  with  whicli  their  Author 
appealed  to  the  conscious  or  dormant  sense  of 
their  needs,  and  bis  zealous  and  energetic  en- 
deavours, under  God's  blessing,  to  show,  in  every 
variety  of  light,  how  the  grand  central  Verities 
of  the  Christian  Dispensation,  entrusted  as  the 
good  "  Deposit,"  to  the  Church,  were  revealed 
and  adapted  to  supply  them. 


Preface.  vii 

Many  things,  indeed,  contained  in  these 
volumes  have  become,  from  the  very  readiness 
of  their  first  acceptance,  and  from  their  gradual 
reception  into  the  current  of  rehgious  thought, 
so  familiar,  that  it  requires  some  retrospect  of 
the  time  previous  to  their  appearance  to  ap- 
preciate the  original  freshness  with  which  they 
brought  out  the  fundamental  Articles  of  the 
Christian  Faith,  and  their  bearing  on  the  for- 
mation of  the  Christian  character;  and  to 
anderstand  the  degree  in  which  they  have 
acted,  like  leaven,  on  the  mind  and  language 
and  literature  of  the  Church  in  this  Country,  and 
have  marked  an  era  in  her  History. 

But,  besides  their  relation  to  the  past,  it  will 
be  seen  in  their  republication  how  the  spirit 
w^hich  dictated  them  pierced  here  and  there 
through  the  cloud  which  hung  over  the  future, 
and  how  the  Author  warned  us,  with  some- 
what of  prophetic  forecast,  of  impending  trials 
and  conflicts,  and  of  perplexities  and  dangers, 
then  only  dimly  seen  or  unheeded,  of  which  it 
has  been  reserved  to  the  present  generation  to 
witness  the  nearer  approach.     It  might  seem  to 


viii  Preface. 

liave  been  his  callino-  at  once  to  warn  us  of 
them,  and  to  provide,  as  best  he  might,  words 
of  guidance  and  support,  and  consolation  and 
encouragement  under  them — an  anchor  of  the 
soul  in  the  coming  storm. 

They  are  republished  in  the  fervent  hope  and 
belief  that  like  good  to  that  which,  by  God's 
blessing,  they  have  done  before,  they  may,  by 
His  mercy,  if  we  be  not  unworthy  of  it,  do  yet 
again  under  other  circumstances. 

To  many  of  this  generation  they  will  appear 
in  much  of  their  original  freshness ;  and  to  all 
with  the  greater  power  and  reality,  from  the 
saddening  aspect  of  the  times,  and  the  appalling 
prospects  before  us ;  replete  as  they  are  with 
those  ^'  many  secrets  of  religion  which  are  not 
perceived  till  they  be  felt,  and  are  not  felt,  but 
in  the  day  of  great  calamity." 

In  conclusion  it  is  right,  though  scarcely  ne- 
cessary to  observe,  that  the  republication  of  these 
Sermons  by  the  Editor  is  not  to  be  considered 
as  equivalent  to  a  re-assertion  by  their  Author 
of  all  that  they  contain ;  inasmuch  as,  being 
printed  entire  and  unaltered,  except  in  the  most 


Preface.  ix 

insignificant  particulars,  tliev  cannot  be  free 
from  passages  which  he  certainly  now  v/ould 
wish  were  otherwise,  or  would,  one  may  be  sure, 
desire  to  see  altered  or  omitted. 

But  the  alternative  plainly  lies  between  pub- 
lishing all  or  nothing,  and  it  appears  more  to 
the  glory  of  God  and  for  the  cause  of  religion, 
to  publish  all,  than  to  destroy  the  acceptable- 
ness  of  the  Volumes  to  those  for  whom  they 
were  written  by  any  omissions  and  alterations. 

W.  J.  COPELAND. 


Farnham  REcroRY,  Essex, 
i\I,iy  \^ih,  1 868. 


TO  THE 

REV.   E.   B.   PUSEY,   B.D., 

CANON   OF  CHRIST   CHURCH, 

AND    REGIUS    PROFESSOR    OF    HEBREW    IN    THS 

UNIVERSITY    OF    OXFORD, 

THIS  VOLUME 

IS  INSCRIBED, 

IN   AFFECTIONATE   ACKNOWLEDGEMSNT 

OF   THE    BLESSING 

OF  HIS   lONO    FRIENDSHIP   AND    EXAMPLB- 


Harth  tjt,  lb 34. 


CONTENTS. 


SERMON  I. 

J^olmess  Necessarg  for  Juture  Blcssctincss. 

"  Holiness,  without  which  no  man  shall  s:e  the  Lord." — HEBREWS 
xii    14     .  I 


/ 


SERMON  II. 

Wc^z  Imm0rtalit2  of  tj^e  Soul. 

What  shall  a  man  give  i'%  exchange  for  his  souli" — MATTHEW 
ivi.  26    .        ,        .  '5       /* 


SERMON  111. 
iSmjiDkUgE  of  (Soli's  TOtll  fott^out  ©betjfeitct. 

*'  IJ  yt  know  these  things,  happy  are  ye  ij  ye  do   them." — ^JOHN 

xiii.  17 ^^^ 


xiv  Contents 

SERMON  IV. 
Secret  Jnulla. 

rAos 
••  Wh)  can  understand  hii  errors  ?     Cleanse  Thou  m*  frfm  lecra 
faults."— V^KX-Wi  xix    12  


,./ 


SERMON  V. 
SelMBmfal  tf)e  STest  of  ISeligtoug  CFarnrstncss. 

••  N<m'  U  is  high  tirru  to  awake  out  of  sleep  "—ROMANS  xiii  II  57  ^ 


SERMON  VL 
CTfje  Spiritnal  ^fnt. 

TTu  itngdo^n  of  God  is  not  in  vord,  but  in  p<mtr."~  1  Cc». 
I» . » .  .    r»    ^ 


SERMON  VII. 

5fng  of  Ignorance  anlt  SlMeafetess. 

"  !^  Hs  draw  neat  with  a  trttt  heart  in  full  assurance  of  faith, 
having  our  hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evtl  conscience,  and  our 
bodies  washed -with  pure  water." — HEBREWS  x.  22    .  .  •     8j  v/ 


Contents.  xv 

SERMON  VIII. 

@ot)'3  CDommantiments  not  ©rtcbous. 

PAGB 

This  is  the  love  of  God,  that  we  keep  His  commandments  ;  and 
His  commandments  are  not  grievous.  ^^ — I  JOHN  v.  3  .         ■     97    ^^ 


SERMON  IX. 

The  man  ciit  of  whom  the  Devils  -were  departed  besought  Him 
that  he  might  be  with  Him ;  but  Jesus  sent  him  away,  saying, 
Return  to  thine  own  house,  and  show  how  great  things  God  hath 
done  Jtnto  thee." — Luke  viii.  38,  39 ti2 


y 


SERMON  X. 
Proftsston  tait^^out  ifrnctfce. 

"  When  there  were  gathered  together  an  innumerable  multitude  of 
people,  insomuch  that  they  trode  one  upon  another.  He  began  to 
say  unto  His  disciples  first  of  all.  Beware  ye  of  the  leaven  of  the 
Pharisees,  which  is  hypocrisy." — LuKE  xii.  I    .  .  .  ,    124   ^ 


SERMON  XI. 

^r0f£S0{on  laitl^ciut  f^gp0crf32. 

"  As  many  of  you  as  have  been  baptized  into  Christ,  have  put  on 

Christ" — Galatians  iii.  27 139  / 


xvi  Contents. 


SERMON  XII. 
^^roffssfon  iuitfjout  ©sterttaffon. 

"  Yi  are  the  light  of  the  world.     A  city  that  is  set  on  an  hill  cannot 
be  hiJ." — Matthew  v.  u iSa  y 


SERMON  XIII. 

promising  inUj^out  Potng. 

"  A  certain  man  had  htio  sons  ;  and  he  came  to  the  first,  and  said. 
Son,  go  work  to-day  in  my  vineyard.  He  answered  and  said,  I 
tvill  not ;  but  afterward  he  repented,  and  went.  And  he  came  to 
the  second,  and  said  likewise.  And  he  answered  and  said,  I  go, 
Sit  ;  and  went  not.'' — MATTHEW  xxi.  28-30    ....    165    ^ 


SERMON  XIV. 

lAcIistous  Crmottoit, 

"  Eut  Kt  spake  the  more  vehemently.  If  I  should  die  with  7\ct^  1 

will  not  deny  Thee  in  any  wise" — Mark  xiv.  31       .         .         .  177  ">/ 


SERMON  XV. 
Etlt'sious  jFait]^  EatfonaL 

"He  staggered  not  at  the  promise  of  God  through  unbelief ;  but  tv-ti 
strong  in  faith,  giving  glory  to  God  ;  and  being  fully  persuaded 
that,  what  He  had  promised.  He  was  able  also  to  perform. "  — 
Romans  iv.  20,  21 190  7 


Conte7its. 


xvu 


SERMON  XVI. 

STIje  OT^mttan  ilKggterfffl. 

^^ Hmu  can  ihesi  things  be?" — John  iii.  9 


FAGB 

»3  ^^ 


SERMON  XVII. 
9rf}e  S£lf=S2Ei0e  Enquirer. 

"  Lei  no  man  deceive  himself.  If  any  man  among  you  seemeth  to  be 
wise  in  this  world,  let  him  become  a  fool,  that  he  may  be  wise. 
For  the  wisdom  of  this  world  is  foolishness  with  God.  For  it  is 
written.  He  taketh  the  wise  in  their  own  craftiness." — I  CoR.  iii. 
i8,  19 215  / 


SERMON  XVIII. 
©bcDience  tj^e  itctnEtig  far  i^eli'stous  Perpleiftg. 

Wait  on  the  Lord,  and  keep  His  way,  and  He  shall  exalt  thee  to 
inherit  the  land." — Psalm  xxxvii.  34       ....         .  238  y 


SERMON  XIX. 

Cfmea  of  Pribate  ^raget. 

*'  Thou,  when  thou  pray  est,  enter  into  thy  closet,  and  when  thou  hast 
shut  thy  door,  pray  to  thy  Father  which  is  in  secret ;  and  thy 
Fatherwhich  seeth  in  secret  shall  reward  thee  openly. " — Matthew 
vi.  6 244 


xviii  Contents. 

SERMON  XX. 
Jorms  of  ^n'bate  ^rajer. 

PAGB 

"  [jyyd,  teoii  us  (o  pray,  as  John  also  taught  his  Jisciflfi. "  -  Luke 

xi.  \ 257  / 


SERMON  XXI. 
2r{)£  Bcsurrcction  of  tijc  Botig. 

"  Now  that  the  dead  are  raised,  even  Moses  showed  at  the  bush,  when 
he  calleth  (he  Lord  the  God  of  Abrahatn,  and  the  God  of  /sa/u, 
end  the  God  of  Jacob.  For  He  is  not  a  God  of  the  dead,  but  of 
the  living ;  for  all  live  unto  Him." — LUKE  xx.  37,  38       .  .271/ 


SERMON  XXII. 

OSitn£S0e2  of  t|^£  EEgurrtrtujn- 

"  Him  God  raised  up  the  third  day,  and  showed  Him  openly  ;  not  to 
all  the  people,  but  unto  witnesses  chosen  before  of  God,  even  to  us 
who  did  eat  and  drink  with  Him  after  He  rose  from  the  dead." — 
Acts  x.  40,  41 ,       .  T&iJ 


SERMON  XXIII. 
Cfjn'stian  KcfactEim. 

^ Serve  the  Lord  with  fear,  and  rejoice  with  trembling." — PsALM 
ii.  11 29s 


J 


Contents.  xix 

SERMON  XXIV. 
5r!)e  ISdigfon  of  t!)e  ©a^. 


PAGB 


*'  Ld  us  have  ^race,  whereby  ve  may  serve  God  acceptably  vdth 
reveren,-e  and  godly  fear,  for  our  God  is  a  consuming  fire." — 
Hebrews  xii.  28,  29      .         . i09    sy' 


SERMON  XXV. 

Scripture  a  Eecortj  of  Jfeuman  Sorrofe. 

"  There  is  at  Jerusalem  by  the  sheepmarket  a  pool,  which  is  called  in 
the  Hebrew  tongue  Bethesda,  having  five  porches.  In  these  lay  a 
great  multitude  of  impotent  folk,  0/ blind,  halt,  withered,  waiting 
for  the  moving  of  the  water.  "—]on\iv.  2,1     .         .         .         .325/ 


SERMON  XXVI. 
ijfjrfstian  i^anfjoots. 

•'  When  I  was  a  child,  I  spake  as  a  child,  1  understood  as  a  child, 
I  thought  as  a  child ;  but  when  I  became  a  man,  I  put  away 
childish  things."— I  Co-B.. -sill,  li     .  ,         .         .  .  336   y 


SERMON  I. 
J^oline^jaf  f^tu^^^x^  for  JFuture  Bk00etine00, 

** Holiness,  without  which  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord." 
— H^B.  xii.  14. 

TN  this  text  it  has  seemed  good  to  the  Holy  Spirit  to 
-*-  convey  a  chief  truth  of  religion  in  a  few  words.  It 
is  this  circumstance  which  makes  it  especially  im- 
pressive ;  for  the  truth  itself  is  declared  in  one  form  or 
other  in  every  part  of  Scripture.  It  is  told  us  again 
and  again,  that  to  make  sinful  creatures  holy  was  the 
great  end  which  our  Lord  had  in  view  in  taking  upon 
Him  our  nature,  and  thus  none  but  the  holy  will  be 
accepted  for  His  sake  at  the  last  day.  The  whole 
history  of  redemption,  the  covenant  of  mercy  in  all  its 
parts  and  provisions,  attests  the  necessity  of  holiness  in 
order  to  salvation;  as  indeed  even  our  natural  con- 
science bears  witness  also.  But  in  the  text  what  is 
elsewhere  implied  in  history,  and  enjoined  by  precept, 
is  stated  doctrinally,  as  ,1  momentoui;  and  necessary  fact, 
the  result  of  some  awful  irreversible  law  in  the  nature 
of  things,  and  the  inscrutable  determination  of  the 
Divine  Will 

Now  some  one  may  ask,  "  Why  is  it  that  holiness  is 

W  B 


2  Holiness  Necessary  for 

a  necessary  qualification  for  our  being  received  into 
heaven  ?  why  is  it  that  the  Bible  enjoins  upon  us  so 
strictly  to  love,  fear,  and  obey  God,  to  be  just,  honest, 
meek,  pure  in  heart,  forgiving,  heavenly-minded,  self- 
denying,  humble,  and  resigned  ?  Man  is  confessedly 
weak  and  corrupt;  why  then  is  he  enjoined  to  be  so 
religious,  so  unearthly  ?  why  is  he  required  (in  the 
strong  language  of  Scripture)  to  become  '  a  new  crea- 
ture *  ?  Since  he  is  bv  nature  what  he  is,  would  it  not 
be  an  act  of  greater  mercy  in  God  to  save  him  altogether 
without  this  holiness,  which  it  is  so  difficult,  yet  (as  it 
appears)  so  necessary  for  him  to  possess  ?  " 

Now  we  have  no  right  to  ask  this  question.  Surely 
it  is  quite  enough  for  a  sinner  to  know,  that  a  way  has 
been  opened  through  God's  grace  for  his  salvation,  with- 
out being  informed  why  that  way,  and  not  another  way, 
was  chosen  by  Divine  Wisdom.  Eternal  life  is  "the 
^ift  of  God."  Undoubtedly  He  may  prescribe  the 
terms  on  which  He  will  give  it ;  and  if  He  has  deter- 
mined holiness  to  be  the  way  of  life,  it  is  enough ;  it  is 
not  for  us  to  inquire  why  He  has  so  determined. 

Yet  the  question  may  be  asked  reverently,  and  with  a 
view  to  enlarge  our  insight  into  our  own  condition  and 
prospects;  and  in  that  case  the  attempt  to  answer  it 
w  ill  be  profitable,  if  it  be  made  soberly.  I  proceed, 
therefore,  to  state  one  of  the  reasons,  assigned  in  Scrip- 
ture, why  present  holiness  is  necessary,  as  the  text 
declares  to  us,  for  future  happiness. 

To  be  holy  is,  in  our  Church's  words,  to  have  ''the 
true  circumcision  of  the  Spirit ; "  that  is,  to  be  separate 
from  sin.  to  hate  the  works  of  the  world,  the  flesh,  and 


Future  Blessedness  3 

the  devil ;  to  take  pleasure  in  keeping  God's  command- 
ments ;  to  do  things  as  He  would  have  us  do  them ;  to 
live  habitually  as  in  the  sight  of  the  world  to  come,  as 
if  we  had  broken  the  ties  of  this  life,  and  were  dead 
abeady.  Why  cannot  we  be  saved  without  possessing 
such  a  frame  and  temper  of  mind  ? 

I  answer  as  follows :  That,  even  supposing  a  man  of 
unholy  life  were  suffered  to  enter  heaven,  he  would  not  he 
happy  there;  so  that  it  would  be  no  mercy  to  permit 
him  to  enter. 

We  are  apt  to  deceive  ourselves,  and  to  consider 
heaven  a  place  like  this  earth;  I  mean,  a  place  where 
every  one  may  choose  and  take  his  own  pleasure.  We 
see  that  in  this  world,  active  men  have  their  own  enjoy- 
ments, and  domestic  men  have  theirs ;  men  of  literature, 
of  science,  of  political  talent,  have  their  respective 
pursuits  and  pleasures.  Hence  we  are  led  to  aet  as  if  it 
will  be  the  same  in  another  world.  The  only  difference 
we  put  between  this  world  and  the  next,  is  that  here,  (as 
we  know  well,)  men  are  not  always  sure,  but  there,  we 
suppose  they  will  he  always  sure,  of  obtaining  what  they 
seek  after.  And  accordingly  we  conclude,  that  any  man, 
whatever  his  habits,  tastes,  or  manner  of  life,  if  once 
admitted  into  heaven,  would  be  happy  there.  Not  that 
w^e  altogether  deny,  that  some  preparation  is  necessary 
for  the  next  world;  but  we  do  not  estimate  its  real 
extent  and  importance.  We  think  we  can  reconcile 
ourselves  to  God  when  we  will ;  as  if  nothing  were 
required  in  the  case  of  men  in  general,  but  some 
temporary  attention,  more  than  ordinary,  to  our  re- 
ligious duties, — some  strictness,  during  our  last  sickness, 


4  Holiness  Necessary  for 

in  the  services  of  the  Church,  as  men  of  business  arrange 
their  letters  and  papers  on  taking  a  journey  or  balancing 
an  account.  But  an  opinion  like  this,  though  commonly 
acted  on,  is  refuted  as  soon  as  put  into  words.  For 
heaven,  it  is  plain  from  Scripture,  is  not  a  place  where 
many  different  and  discordant  pursuits  can  be  carried  on 
at  once,  as  is  the  case  in  this  world.  Here  every  man 
can  do  his  own  pleasure,  but  there  he  must  do  God's 
pleasure.  It  would  be  presumption  to  attempt  to  deter- 
mine the  employments  of  that  eternal  life  which  good 
men  are  to  pass  in  God's  presence,  or  to  deny  that  that 
state  which  eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  nor  mind 
conceived,  may  comprise  an  infinite  variety  of  pursuits 
and  occupations.  Still  so  far  we  are  distinctly  told, 
that  that  future  life  will  be  spent  in  God's  presence,  in  a 
sense  which  does  not  apply  to  our  present  life ;  so  that 
it  may  be  best  described  as  an  endless  and  uninterrupted 
worship  of  the  Eternal  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit.  "  They 
serve  Him  day  and  night  in  His  temple,  and  He  that 
sitteth  on  the  throne  shall  dwell  among  them  ....  The 
Lamb  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne  shall  feed 
them,  and  shall  lead  them  unto  living  fountains  of 
waters."  Again,  "  The  city  had  no  need  of  the  sun, 
neither  of  the  moon  to  shine  in  it,  for  the  glory  of  God 
did  lighten  it,  and  the  Lamb  is  the  light  thereof.  And 
the  nations  of  them  which  are  saved  shall  walk  in  the 
light  of  it,  and  the  kings  of  the  earth  do  bring  their 
glory  and  honour  into  it^."  These  passages  from 
St.  John  are  sufficient  to  remind  us  of  many  others. 
Heaven  then  is  not  like  this  world ;  I  will  say  what 
1  Rev.  vii.  15.  17 ;  xxi.  23.  24. 


Future  Blessedness.  5 

it  is  much  more  like, — a  church.  For  in  a  place  of 
public  worship  no  language  of  this  world  is  heard ;  there 
are  no  schemes  brought  forward  for  temporal  objects, 
great  or  small ;  no  information  how  to  strengthen  our 
worldly  interests,  extend  our  influence,  or  establish  our 
credit.  These  things  indeed  may  be  right  in  their  way, 
so  that  we  do  not  set  our  hearts  upon  them;  still  (I 
repeat),  it  is  certain  that  we  hear  nothing  of  them  in  a 
church.  Here  we  hear  solely  and  entirely  of  God.  We 
praise  Him,  worship  Him,  sing  to  Him,  thank  Him, 
confess  to  Him,  give  ourselves  up  to  Him,  and  ask  His 
blessing.  And  therefore,  a  church  is  like  heaven ;  viz. 
because  both  in  the  one  and  the  other,  there  is  one  single 
sovereign  subject — religion — brought  before  us. 

Supposing,  then,  instead  of  it  being  said  that  no  irreli- 
gious man  could  serve  and  attend  on  God  in  heaven  (or 
see  Him,  as  the  text  expresses  it),  we  were  told  that  no 
irreligious  man  could  worship,  or  spiritually  see  Him  in 
church ;  should  we  not  at  once  perceive  the  meaning  of 
the  doctrine  ?  viz.  that,  were  a  man  to  come  hither,  who 
had  suffered  his  mind  to  grow  up  in  its  own  way,  as 
nature  or  chance  determined,  without  any  deliberate 
habitual  effort  after  truth  and  purity,  he  would  find 
no  real  pleasure  here,  but  would  soon  get  weary  jf  the 
place ;  because,  in  this  house  of  God,  he  would  hear 
only  of  that  one  subject  which  he  cared  little  or  nothing 
about,  and  nothing  at  all  of  those  things  which  excited 
his  hopes  and  fears,  his  sympathies  and  energies.  If 
then  a  man  without  religion  (supposing  it  possible)  were 
admitted  into  heaven,  doubtless  he  would  sustain  a  great 
disappointment.    Before,  indeed,  he  fancied  that  he  could 


6  Holiness  Necessary  for 

be  happy  there ;  but  when  he  arrived  there,  he  would 
find  no  discourse  but  that  which  he  had  shunned  on 
earth,  no  pursuits  but  those  he  had  disliked  or  despised, 
nothing-  which  bound  him  to  aug-ht  eUe  in  the  universe, 
and  made  him  feel  at  home,  nothing  which  he  could 
enter  into  and  reet  upon.  He  would  perceive  himself 
to  be  an  isolated  being,  cut  away  by  Supreme  Power 
from  those  objects  which  were  still  entwined  around 
his  heart.  Nay,  he  would  be  in  the  presence  of  that 
Supreme  Power,  whom  he  never  on  earth  could  bring 
himself  steadily  to  think  upon,  and  whom  now  he  re- 
garded only  as  the  destroyer  of  all  that  was  preciou' 
and  dear  to  him.  Ah  !  he  could  not  bear  the  face  of  tht 
Living  God ;  the  Holy  God  would  be  no  object  of  joy 
to  him.  "  Let  us  alone !  What  have  we  to  do  with 
thee  ? "  is  the  sole  thought  and  desire  of  unclean  souls, 
even  while  they  acknowledge  His  majesty.  None  but 
the  holy  can  look  upon  the  Holy  One ;  without  holiness 
no  man  can  endure  to  see  the  Lord, 

When,  then,  we  think  to  take  part  in  the  joys  of 
heaven  without  holiness,  we  are  as  inconsiderate  as  if 
we  supposed  we  could  take  an  interest  in  the  worship  of 
Christians  here  below  without  possessing  it  in  our  mea- 
sure. A  careless,  a  sensual,  an  unbelieving  mind,  a 
mind  destitute  of  the  love  and  fear  of  God,  with  narrow 
views  and  earthly  aims,  a  low  standard  of  duty,  and  a 
benighted  conscience,  a  mind  contented  with  itself,  and 
unresigned  to  God^s  will,  would  feel  as  little  pleasure, 
at  the  last  day,  at  the  words,  "  Enter  into  the  joy  of 
thy  Lord,''  as  it  does  now  at  the  words,  "  Let  us  pray." 
Nay,  much  less,  because,  while  we  are  in  a  church,  we 


Future  Blessedness.  7 

may  turn  our  thoughts  to  other  subjects,  and  contrive  to 
forget  that  God  is  looking  on  us  ;  but  that  will  not  be 
possible  in  heaven. 

We  see,  then,  that  holiness,  or  inward  separation  from 
the  world,  is  necessary  to  our  admission  into  heaven, 
because  heaven  is  not  heaven,  is  not  a  place  of  happiness 
except  to  the  holy.  There  are  bodily  indispositions  which 
affect  the  taste,  so  that  the  sweetest  flavours  become  un- 
grateftil  to  the  palate ;  and  indispositions  which  impair 
the  sight,  tinging  the  fair  face  of  nature  with  some 
sickly  hue.  In  like  manner,  there  is  a  moral  malady 
which  disorders  the  inward  sight  and  taste ;  and  no  man 
labouring  under  it  is  in  a  condition  to  enjoy  what  Scrip- 
ture calls  "  the  fulness  of  joy  in  God's  presence,  and 
pleasures  at  His  right  hand  for  evermore." 

Nay,  I  will  venture  to  say  more  than  this ; — it  is 
fearful,  but  it  is  right  to  say  it ; — that  if  we  wished  to 
imagine  a  punishment  for  an  unholy,  reprobate  soul,  we 
perhaps  could  not  fancy  a  greater  than  to  summon  it  to 
heaven.  Heaven  would  be  hell  to  an  irreligious  man. 
We  know  how  unhappy  we  are  apt  to  feel  at  present, 
when  alone  in  the  midst  of  strangers,  or  of  men  of 
different  tastes  and  habits  from  ourselves.  How  miser- 
able, for  example,  would  it  be  to  have  to  live  in  a 
foreign  land,  among  a  people  whose  faces  we  never  saw 
before,  and  whose  language  we  could  not  learn.  And 
this  is  but  a  faint  illustration  of  the  loneliness  of  a  man 
of  earthly  dispositions  and  tastes,  thrust  into  the  society 
of  saints  and  angels.  How  forlorn  would  he  wander 
through  the  courts  of  heaven !  He  would  find  no  one 
like  himself;  he  would  see  in  every  direction  the  marks 


8  Holiness  Necessary  for 

of  God's  holiness,  and  these  would  make  him  shudder. 
He  would  feel  himself  always  in  His  presence.  He 
could  no  longer  turn  his  thoughts  another  way,  as  he 
does  now,  when  conscience  reproaches  him.  He  would 
know  that  the  Eternal  Eye  was  ever  upon  him  ;  and  that 
Eye  of  holiness,  which  is  joy  and  life  to  holy  creatures, 
would  seem  to  him  an  Eye  of  wrath  and  punishment. 
God  cannot  change  His  nature.  Holy  He  must  ever  be. 
But  while  He  is  holy,  no  unholy  soul  can  be  happy  in 
heaven.  Fire  does  not  inflame  iron,  but  it  inflames 
straw.  It  would  cease  to  be  fire  if  it  did  not.  And 
so  heaven  itself  would  be  fire  to  those,  who  would  fain 
escape  across  the  great  gulf  from  the  torments  of  hell. 
The  finger  of  Lazarus  would  but  increase  their  thirst. 
The  very  "  heaven  that  is  over  their  head  **  will  be 
"  brass  **  to  them. 

And  now  I  have  partly  explained  why  it  is  that 
hohness  is  prescribed  to  us  as  the  condition  on  our  part 
for  our  admission  into  heaven.  It  seems  to  be  necessary 
from  the  very  nature  of  thing-s.  We  do  not  see  how  it 
could  be  otherwise.  Now  then  I  will  mention  two 
important  truths  which  seem  to  follow  from  what  has 
been  said. 

1.  If  a  certain  character  of  mind,  a  certain  state  of 
the  heart  and  afiections,  be  necessary  for  entering  heaven, 
our  actions  will  avail  for  our  salvation,  chiefly  as  they 
tend  to  produce  or  evidence  this  frame  of  mind.  Good 
works  (as  they  are  called)  are  required,  not  as  if  they 
had  any  thing  of  merit  in  them,  not  as  if  they  could  of 
themselves  turn  away  God^s  anger  for  our  sins,  or  pur- 
chase heaven  for  us,  but  because  they  are  the  means^ 


Future  Blessedness.  9 

under  God's  grace^  of  streDgthening  and  showing  forth 
that  holy  principle  which  God  implants  in  the  heart, 
and  without  which  (as  the  text  tells  us)  we  cannot  see 
Him.  The  more  numerous  are  our  acts  of  charity,  self- 
denial,  and  forbearance,  of  course  the  more  will  oui 
minds  be  schooled  into  a  charitable,  self-denying,  and 
forbearing  temper.  The  more  frequent  are  our  prayers, 
the  more  humble,  patient,  and  religious  are  our  daily 
deeds,  this  communion  with  God,  these  holy  works,  will 
be  the  means  of  making  our  hearts  holy,  and  of  pre- 
paring us  for  the  future  presence  of  God.  Outward  acts, 
done  on  principle,  create  inward  habits.  I  repeat,  the 
separate  acts  of  obedience  to  the  will  of  God,  good  works 
as  they  are  called,  are  of  service  to  iis,  as  gradually 
severing  us  from  this  world  of  sense,  and  impressing  our 
hearts  with  a  heavenly  character. 

It  is  plain,  then,  what  works  are  not  of  service  to  our 
salvation; — ^all  those  which  either  have  no  effect  upon 
the  heart  to  change  it,  or  which  have  a  bad  effect. 
What  then  must  be  said  of  those  who  think  it  an  easy 
thing  to  please  God,  and  to  recommend  themselves  to 
Him  ;  who  do  a  few  scanty  services,  call  these  the  walk 
of  faith,  and  are  satisfied  with  them  ?  Such  men,  it  is 
too  evident,  instead  of  being  themselves  profited  by  their 
acts,  such  as  they  are,  of  benevolence,  honesty,  or  justice, 
may  be  (I  might  even  say)  injured  by  them.  For  these 
very  acts,  even  though  good  in  themselves,  are  made  to 
foster  in  these  persons  a  bad  spirit,  a  corrupt  state  of 
heart ;  viz.  self-love,  self-conceit,  self-reliance,  instead  of 
tending  to  turn  them  from  this  world  to  the  Father  of 
spirits.    In  like  manner,  the  mere  outward  acts  of  coming 


lO  Holiness  Necessary  far 

to  church,  and  sayinp^  prayers,  which  are,  of  course, 
duties  imperative  upon  all  of  us,  are  really  serviceable  to 
those  only  who  do  them  in  a  heavenward  spirit.  Be- 
cause such  men  only  use  these  good  deeds  to  the  improve- 
ment of  the  heart ;  whereas  even  the  most  exact  outward 
devotion  avails  not  a  man,  if  it  does  not  improve  it. 

2.  But  observe  what  follows  from  this.  If  holiness 
be  not  merely  the  doing  a  certain  number  of  good 
actions,  but  is  an  inward  character  which  follows,  under 
God's  grace,  from  doing  them,  how  far  distant  from  that 
holiness  are  the  multitude  of  men  !  They  are  not  yet 
even  obedient  in  outward  deeds,  which  is  the  first  step 
towards  possessing  it.  They  have  even  to  learn  to 
practise  good  works,  as  the  means  of  changing  their 
hearts,  which  is  the  end.  It  follows  at  once,  even 
though  Scripture  did  not  plainly  tell  us  so,  that  no  one 
is  able  to  prepare  himself  for  heaven,  that  is,  make  him- 
self holy,  in  a  short  time ; — at  least  we  do  hot  see  how 
it  is  possible  j  and  this,  viewed  merely  as  a  deduction  oi 
the  reason,  is  a  serious  thought.  Yet,  alas !  as  there 
are  persons  who  think  to  be  saved  by  a  few  scanty  per- 
formances, so  there  are  others  who  suppose  they  may  be 
saved  all  at  once  by  a  sudden  and  easily  acquired  faith. 
Most  men  who  are  living  in  neglect  of  God,  silence  their 
consciences,  when  troublesome,  with  the  promise  of 
repenting  some  future  day.  How  often  are  they  thus 
led  on  till  death  surprises  them  !  But  we  will  suppose 
they  do  begin  to  repent  when  that  future  day  comes. 
Nay,  we  will  even  suppose  that  Almighty  God  were  to 
forgive  them,  and  to  admit  them  into  His  holy  heaven. 
Well,  but  is  nothing  more  requisite  ?  are  they  in  a  fit 


Future  Blessedness.  1 1 

state  to  do  Him  service  in  heaven  ?  is  not  this  the  very 
point  I  have  been  so  insisting*  on^  that  they  are  not  in  a 
fit  state  ?  has  it  not  been  shown  that,  even  if  admitted 
there  without  a  change  of  heart,  they  would  find  no 
pleasure  in  heaven  ?  and  is  a  change  of  heart  wrought 
in  a  day  ?  Which  of  our  tastes  or  likings  can  we  change 
at  our  will  in  a  moment?  Not  the  most  superficial. 
Can  we  then  at  a  word  change  the  whole  frame  and 
character  of  our  minds?  Is  not  holiness  the  result  of 
many  patient,  repeated  efforts  after  obedience,  gradually 
working  on  us,  and  first  modifying  and  then  changing 
our  hearts  ?  We  dare  not,  of  course,  set  bounds  to 
God's  mercy  and  power  in  cases  of  repentance  late  in 
life,  even  where  He  has  revealed  to  us  the  general  rule 
of  His  moral  governance ;  yet,  surely,  it  is  our  duty 
ever  to  keep  steadily  before  us,  and  act  upon,  those 
general  truths  which  His  Holy  Word  has  declared. 
His  Holy  Word  in  various  ways  warns  us,  that,  as  no 
one  will  find  happiness  in  heaven,  who  is  not  holy,  so  no 
one  can  learn  to  be  so,  in  a  short  time,  and  when  he 
will.  It  implies  it  in  the  text,  which  names  a  quali- 
fication, which  we  know  in  matter  of  fact  does  ordi- 
narily take  time  to  gain.  It  propounds  it  clearly,  though 
in  figure,  in  the  parable  of  the  wedding  garment,  in 
which  inward  sanctification  is  made  a  condition  distinct 
from  our  acceptance  of  the  proffer  of  mercy,  and  not 
negligently  to  be  passed  over  in  our  thoughts  as  if  a 
necessary  consequence  of  it;  and  in  that  of  the  ten 
virgins,  which  shows  us  that  we  must  meet  the  bride- 
groom with  the  oil  of  holiness,  and  that  it  takes  time  to 
procure  it.     And  it  solemnly  assures  us  in  St.  Paul's 


1 2  Holiness  Necessary  for 

Epistles,  that  it  is  ])ossible  so  to  presume  on  Divine 
grace,  £is  to  let  slip  the  accepted  time,  and  be  sealed 
even  before  the  end  of  life  to  a  reprobate  mind  K 

I  wish  to  speak  to  you,  my  brethren,  not  as  if  aliena 
from  God's  mercies,  but  as  partakers  of  His  gracious 
covenant  in  Christ ;  and  for  this  reason  in  especial  peril, 
since  those  only  can  incur  the  sin  of  making  void  His 
covenant,  who  have  the  privilege  of  it.  Yet  neither  on 
the  other  hand  do  1  speak  to  you  as  wilful  and  obstinate 
sinners,  exposed  to  the  imminent  risk  of  forfeiting,  or 
the  chance  of  having  forfeited,  your  hope  of  heavea 
But  I  fear  there  are  those,  who,  if  they  dealt  faithfully 
with  their  consciences,  would  be  obliged  to  own  that 
they  had  not  made  the  service  of  God  their  first  and 
great  concern ;  that  their  obedience,  so  to  call  it,  has 
been  a  matter  of  course,  in  which  the  heart  has  had  no 
part ;  that  they  have  acted  uprightly  in  worldly  matters 
chiefly  for  the  sake  of  their  worldly  interest.  I  fear 
there  are  those,  who,  whatever  be  their  sense  of  religion, 
stUl  have  such  misgivings  about  themselves,  as  lead  them 
to  make  resolve  to  obey  God  more  exactly  some  future 
day,  such  misgivings  as  convict  them  of  sin,  though 
not  enough  to  bring  home  to  them  its  heinousness  or  its 
peril.  Such  men  are  trifling  with  the  appointed  season 
of  mercy.  To  obtain  the  gift  of  holiness  is  the  work  of 
a  life.  No  man  will  ever  be  perfect  here,  so  sinful  is 
our  nature.  Thus,  in  putting  off  the  day  of  repentance, 
these  men  are  reserving  for  a  few  chance  years,  when 
strength  and  vigour  are  gone,  that  work  for  which  a 
whole  life  would  not  be  enough.     That  work  is  great  and 

^  Heb.  vi.  4—6  ;  x.  26—29.     Vide  also  2  Pet.  iL  20.  22. 


Future  Blessedness. 


'3 


arduous  beyond  expression.  There  is  much  of  sin  re- 
maining even  in  the  best  of  men,  and  "  if  the  righteous 
scarcely  be  saved,  where  shall  the  ungodly  and  the 
sinner  appear  *  ? "  Their  doom  may  be  fixed  any 
moment ;  and  though  this  thought  should  not  make  a 
man  despair  to-day,  yet  it  should  ever  make  him  tremble 
for  to-morrow. 

Perhaps,  however,  others  may  say: — "We  know 
something  of  the  power  of  religion — we  love  it  in  a 
measure — we  have  many  right  thoughts — we  come  to 
church  to  pray ;  this  is  a  proof  that  we  are  prepared  for 
heaven  : — we  are  safe,  and  what  has  been  said  does  not 
apply  to  us.^^  But  be  not  you,  my  brethren,  in  the 
number  of  these.  One  principal  test  of  our  being  true 
servants  of  God  is  our  wishing  to  serve  Him  better; 
and  be  quite  sure  that  a  man  who  is  contented  with  his 
own  proficiency  in  Christian  holiness,  is  at  best  in  a  dark 
state,  or  rather  in  great  peril.  If  we  are  really  imbued 
with  the  grace  of  holiness,  we  shall  abhor  sin  as  some- 
thing base,  irrational,  and  polluting.  Many  men,  it  is 
true,  are  contented  with  partial  and  indistinct  views  of 
religion,  and  mixed  motives.  Be  you  content  with' 
nothing  short  of  perfection;  exert  yourselves  day  by 
day  to  grow  in  knowledge  and  grace;  that,  if  so  be, 
you  may  at  length  attain  to  the  presence  of  Almighty 
God. 

Lastly;  while  we  thus  labour  to  mould  our  hearts 
after  the  pattern  of  the  holiness  of  our  Heavenly  Father, 
it  is  our  comfort  to  know,  what  I  have  already  implied, 
that  we  are  not    left  to  ourselves,  but  that  the  Holy 

» 1  Pet.  iv.  18. 


14   Holiness  Necessary  for  Future  B lessed^iess. 

Ghost  is  graciously  present  with  us,  and  enables  us  to 
triumph  over,  and  to  chang^e  our  own  minds.  It  is  a 
comfort  and  encourag-ement,  while  it  is  an  anxious  and 
awful  thing,  to  know  that  God  works  in  and  through 
us  '.  We  are  the  instruments,  but  we  are  x)nly  the 
instruments,  of  our  own  salvation.  Let  no  one  say  that 
I  discourage  him,  and  propose  to  him  a  task  beyond  his 
strength.  All  of  us  have  the  gifts  of  grace  pledged  to 
us  from  our  youth  up.  We  know  this  well ;  but  we  do 
Qot  use  our  privilege.  We  form  mean  ideas  of  the  diflB- 
culty,  and  in  consequence  never  enter  into  the  great- 
ness of  the  gifts  given  us  to  meet  it.  Then  afterwards, 
if  perchance  we  gain  a  deeper  insight  into  the  work  we 
have  to  do,  we  think  God  a  hard  master,  who  commands 
much  from  a  sinful  race.  Narrow,  indeed,  is  the  way  of 
life,  but  infinite  is  His  love  and  power  who  is  with  the 
Church,  in  Christ's  place,  to  guide  us  along  it. 

1  Phil.  ii.  12,  Y6. 


SERMON   II. 
W^z  3|mmoctalitp  of  t|)e  »)oul* 

"  What  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul?  " — Matt.  xvi.  26. 

T  SUPPOSE  there  is  no  tolerably  informed  Christian 
-*-  but  considers  he  has  a  correct  notion  of  the  difference 
between  our  religion  and  the  paganism  which  it  sup- 
planted. Every  one,  if  asked  what  it  is  we  have  gained 
by  the  Gospel,  will  promptly  answer,  that  we  have  gained 
the  knowledge  of  our  immortality,  of  our  having  souls 
which  will  live  for  ever ;  that  the  heathen  did  not  know 
this,  but  that  Christ  taught  it,  and  that  His  disciples 
know  it.  Every  one  will  say,  and  say  truly,  that  this 
was  the  great  and  solemn  doctrine  which  gave  the 
Gospel  a  claim  to  be  heard  when  first  preached,  which 
arrested  the  thoughtless  multitudes,  who  were  busied  in 
the  pleasures  and  pursuits  of  this  life,  awed  them  with 
the  vision  of  the  life  to  come,  and  sobered  them  till 
they  turned  to  God  with  a  true  heart.  It  will  be  said, 
and  said  truly,  that  this  doctrine  of  a  future  life  was  the 
doctrine  which  broke  the  power  and  the  fascination  of 
paganism.  The  poor  benighted  heathen  were  engaged 
in  aU  the  frivolities  and  absurdities  of  a  false  ritual, 


1 6  The  Immortality  of  the  Soul. 

which  had  obscured  the  light  of  nature.  They  knew 
God,  but  they  forsook  Him  for  the  inventions  of  men ; 
they  made  protectors  and  guardians  for  themselves ;  and 
had  "gods  many  and  lords  many'/'  They  had  their 
profane  worship,  their  gaudy  processions,  their  indulgent 
creed,  their  easy  observances,  their  sensual  festivities, 
their  childish  extravagances,  such  as  might  suitably  be 
the  religion  of  beings  who  were  to  live  for  seventy  oi 
eighty  years,  and  then  die  once  for  all,  never  to  live 
again.  "'  Let  us  eat  and  drink,  for  to-morrow  we  die,'' 
was  their  doctrine  and  their  rule  of  life.  "  To-morrow 
we  die  •*' — this  the  Holy  Apostles  admitted.  They  taught 
so  far  as  the  heathen ;  "  To-morrow  we  die  "  but  then 
they  added,  "  And  after  death  the  judgment ;" — -judgment 
upon  the  eternal  soul,  which  lives  in  spite  of  the  death 
of  the  body.  And  this  was  the  truth,  which  awakened 
men  to  the  necessity  of  having  a  better  and  deeper  reli- 
gion than  that  which  had  spread  over  the  earth,  when 
Christ  came, — which  so  wrought  upon  Ihem  that  they 
left  that  old  false  worship  of  theirs,  and  it  fell.  Yes ! 
though  throned  in  all  the  power  of  the  world,  a  sight 
such  as  eye  had  never  before  seen,  though  supported  by 
the  great  and  the  many,  the  magnificence  of  kings,  and 
the  stubbornness  of  people,  it  fell.  Its  ruins  remain 
scattered  over  the  face  of  the  earth ;  the  shattered  works 
of  its  great  upholder,  that  fierce  enemy  of  God,  the 
Pagan  Eoman  Empire.  Those  ruins  are  found  even 
among  themselves,  and  show  how  marvellously  great  was 
its  power,  and  therefore  how  much  more  powerful  was 
that  which  broke  its  power ;  and  this  was  the  doctrine 

^  1  Cor.  viii  5. 


The  immortality  of  the  Soul.  i^ 

of  the  immortality  of  the  soul.  So  entire  is  the  revo- 
lution which  is  produced  among  iiieii,  wherever  this 
high  trath  is  really  received. 

I  have  said  that  every  one  of  us  is  able  fluently  tf 
speak  of  this  doctrine,  and  is  aware  that  the  knowledge 
of  it  forms  the  fundamental  difference  between  our  state 
and  that  of  the  heathen.  And  yet,  in  spite  of  our  being 
able  to  speak  about  it  and  our  "form  of  knowledge *'' 
(as  St.  Paul  terms  it),  there  seems  scarcely  room  to 
doubt,  that  the  greater  number  of-  those  who  are  called 
Christians  in  no  true  sense  realize  it  in  their  own  minds 
at  all.  Indeed,  it  is  a  very  difficult  thing  to  bring  home 
to  us,  and  to  feel,  that  we  have  souls ;  and  there  cannot 
be  a  more  fatal  mistake  than  to  suppose  we  see  what  the 
doctrine  means,  as  soon  as  we  can  use  the  words  which 
signify  it.  So  great  a  thing  is  it  to  understand  that  we 
have  souls,  that  the  knowing  it,  taken  in  connexion 
with  its  results,  is  all  one  with  being  serious,  i.  e.  truly 
religious.  To  discern  our  immortality  is  necessarily 
connected  with  fear  and  trembling  and  repentance,  in 
the  case  of  every  Christian.  Who  is  there  but  would  be 
sobered  by  an  actual  sight  of  the  flames  of  hell  fire  and 
the  souls  therein  hopelessly  enclosed  ?  Would  not  all 
his  thoughts  be  drawn  to  that  awful  sight,  so  that  he 
would  stand  still  gazing  fixedly  upon  it,  and  forgetting 
every  thing  else ;  seeing  nothing  else,  hearing  nothing, 
sngrossed  with  the  contemplation  of  it ;  and  when  the 
sight  was  withdrawn,  still  having  it  fixed  in  his 
memory,  so  that  he  would  be  henceforth  dead  to  the 
pleasures  and  employments  of  this  world,  considered  in 

I  Rom.  ii.  20. 

[I]  c 


1 8  The  Immortality  of  the  Soul. 

themselves,  thinking-  of  them  only  in  their  rel'erence  to 
that  fearful  vision  ?  This  would  be  the  overpowering 
effect  of  such  a  disclosui-e,  whether  it  actually  led  a  man 
to  repentance  or  not.  And  thus  absorbed  in  the  thought 
of  the  life  to  come  are  they  ^ho  really  and  heartily 
receive  the  words  of  Christ  and  His  Apostles.  Yet  to 
this  state  of  mind,  and  therefore  to  this  true  knowledge, 
the  multitu«-ie  of  men  called  Christians  are  certainly 
strangers ;  a  thick  veil  is  drawn  over  their  eyes ;  and 
in  spite  of  their  being,  able  to  talk  of  the  doctrine,  they 
are  as  if  they  never  had  heard  of  it.  They  go  on  just 
as  the  heathen  did  of  old :  they  eat,  they  drink ;  or  they 
amuse  themselves  in  vanities,  and  live  in  the  world, 
without  fear  and  without  sorrow,  just  as  if  God  had  not 
declared  that  their  conduct  in  this  life  would  decide 
their  destiny  in  the  next;  just  as  if  they  either  had  no 
souls,  or  had  nothing  or  little  to  do  with  the  saving  of 
them,  which  was  the  creed  of  the  heathen. 

Now  let  us  consider  what  it  is  to  bring  home  to  our- 
selves that  we  have  souls,  and  in  what  the  especial 
difficulty  of  it  lies ;  for  this  may  be  of  use  to  us  in  our 
attempt  to  realize  that  awful  truth. 

We  are  from  our  birth  apparently  dependent  on  things 
about  us.  We  see  and  feel  that  we  could  not  live  or  go  for- 
ward without  the  aid  of  man.  To  a  child  this  world  is 
every  thing  :  he  seems  to  himself  a  part  of  this  world, — 
a  part  of  this  world,  in  the  same  sense  in  which  a  branch 
is  part  of  a  tree ;  he  has  little  notion  of  his  own  separate 
and  independent  existence:  that  is,  he  has  no  just  idea 
he  has  a  souL  And  if  he  goes  through  life  with  his 
notions  unchanged,  he  has  no  just  notion,  even  to  the 


The  Immortality  of  the  Soul.  1 9 

end  of  life,  that  he  has  a  soul.  He  views  himself  merely 
in  his  connexion  with  this  world,  which  is  his  all;  he 
looks  to  this  world  for  his  good,  as  to  an  idol;  and 
when  he  tries  to  look  beyond  this  life,  he  is  able  to 
discern  nothing  in  prospect,  because  he  has  no  idea  of 
any  thing,  nor  can  fancy  any  thing,  hut  this  life.  And 
if  he  is  obliged  to  fancy  something,  he  fancies  this  life 
over  again;  just  as  the  heathen,  when  they  reflected  on 
those  traditions  of  another  life,  which  were  floating 
among  them,  could  but  fancy  the  happiness  of  the 
blessed  to  consist  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  sun,  and  the 
sky,  and  the  earth,  as  before,  only  as  if  these  were  to  be 
more  splendid  than  they  are  now. 

To  understand  that  we  have  souls,  is  to  feel  our 
separation  from  things  visible,  our  independence  of 
them,  our  distinct  existence  in  ourselves,  our  indi- 
viduality, our  power  of  acting  for  ourselves  this  way  or 
that  way,  our  accountableness  for  what  we  do.  These 
are  the  great  truths  which  lie  wrapped  up  indeed  even 
in  a  child's  mind,  and  which  God's  grace  can  unfold 
there  in  spite  of  the  influence  of  the  external  world  ;  but 
at  first  this  outward  world  prevails.  We  look  ofi"  from 
self  to  the  things  around  us,  and  forget  ourselves  in 
them.  Such  is  our  state, — a  depending  for  support  on 
the  reeds  which  are  no  stay,  and  overlooking  our  real 
strength, — at  the  time  when  God  begins  His  process  of 
reclaiming  us  to  a  truer  view  of  our  place  in  His  great 
system  of  providence.  And  when  He  visits  us,  then  in 
a  little  while  there  is  a  stirring  within  us.  The  unpro- 
fitableness and  feebleness  of  the  things  of  this  world  are 
forced    upon   our    minds ;    they    promise    but    cannot 


20  The  Immortality  of  the  Soul. 

perform,  they  disappoint  us.  Or,  if  they  do  perform 
what  they  promise,  still  (so  it  is)  they  do  not  satisfy 
us.  We  still  crave  for  something,  we  do  not  well  know 
what;  but  we  are  sure  it  is  something  which  the  world 
has  not  given  us.  And  then  its  changes  are  so  many, 
so  sudden,  so  silent,  so  continual.  It  never  leaves 
changing ;  it  goes  on  to  change,  till  we  are  quite  sick 
at  heart: — then  it  is  that  our  reliance  on  it  is  broken. 
It  is  plain  we  cannot  continue  to  depend  upon  it,  unless 
we  keep  pace  with  it,  and  go  on  changing  too ;  but  this 
we  cannot  do.  We  feel  that,  while  it  changes,  we  are 
one  and  the  same ;  and  thus,  under  God^s  blessing,  we 
come  to  have  some  glimpse  of  the  meaning  of  our 
independence  of  things  temporal,  and  our  immortality. 
And  should  it  so  happen  that  misfortunes  come  upon  us, 
(as  they  often  do,)  then  still  more  are  we  led  to  under- 
stand the  nothingness  of  this  world ;  then  still  more  are 
we  led  to  distrust  it,  and  are  weaned  from  the  love  of  it, 
till  at  length  it  floats  before  our  eyes  merely  as  some 
idle  veil,  which,  notwithstanding  its  many  tints,  cannot 
hide  the  view  of  what  is  beyond  it ; — and  we  begin,  by 
degrees,  to  perceive  that  there  are  but  two  beings  in  the 
whole  universe,  our  own  soul,  and  the  God  who  made  it. 
Sublime,  unlooked-for  doctrine,  yet  most  true  !  To 
every  one  of  us  there  are  but  two  beings  in  the  whole 
world,  himself  and  God ;  for,  as  to  this  outward  scene, 
its  pleasures  and  pursuits,  its  honours  and  cares,  its 
contrivances,  its  personages,  its  kingdoms,  its  multitude 
of  busy  slaves,  what  are  they  to  us  ?  nothing — no  more 
than  a  show  : — "  The  world  passeth  away  and  the  lust 
thereof/'     And  as  to  those  others  nearer  to  us,  who  are 


The  Immortality  of  the  Soul.  21 

not  to  be  classed  with  the  vain  world,  I  mean  our  friends 
and  relations,  whom  we  are  right  in  loving,  these,  too, 
after  all,  are  nothing-  to  us  here.  They  cannot  really 
help  or  profit  us ;  we  see  them,  and  they  act  upon  us, 
only  (as  it  were)  at  a  distance,  through  the  medium 
of  sense ;  they  cannot  get  at  our  souls ;  they  cannot 
enter  into  our  thoughts,  or  really  be  companions  to 
us.  In  the  next  world  it  will,  through  God's  mercy, 
be  otherwise ;  but  here  we  enjoy,  not  their  presence, 
but  the  anticipation  of  what  one  day  shall  be ;  so  that, 
after  all,  they  vanish  before  the  clear  vision  we  have, 
first,  of  .our  own  existence,  next  of  the  presence  of 
the  great  God  in  us,  and  over  us,  as  our  Governor  and 
Judge,  who  dwells  in  us  by  our  conscience,  which  is 
His  representative. 

And  now  consider  what  a  revolution  will  take  place 
in  the  mind  that  is  not  utterly  reprobate,  in  proportion 
as  it  realizes  this  relation  between  itself  and  the  most 
high  God.  We  never  in  this  life  can  fully  understand 
what  is  meant  by  our  living  for  ever,  but  we  can  under- 
stand what  is  meant  by  this  world's  not  living  for  ever, 
by  its  dying  never  to  rise  again.  And  learning  this, 
we  learn  that  we  owe  it  no  service,  no  allegiance ;  it 
has  no  claim  over  us,  and  can  do  us  no  matei-ial  good 
nor  harm.  On  the  other  hand,  the  law  of  God  written 
on  our  hearts  bids  us  serve  Him,  and  partly  tells  us 
how  to  serve  Him,  and  Scripture  completes  the  precepts 
which  nature  began.  And  both  Scripture  and  con- 
science tell  us  we  are  answerable  for  what  we  do,  and 
that  God  is  a  righteous  Judge;  and,  above  all,  our 
Saviour,  as  our  Arisible  Lord  God,  takes  the  place  of  the 


22  The  Immortality  of  the  Soul. 

world  as  the  Only-begotten  of  the  Father,  having  shown 
Himself"  openly,  that  we  may  not  say  that  God  is  hidden. 
And  thus  a  man  is  drawn  forward  by  all  manner  of 
powerful  influences  to  turn  from  things  temporal  to 
things  eternal,  to  deny  himself,  to  take  up  his  cross  and 
follow  Christ.  For  there  are  Christ's  awful  threats  and 
tvarnings  to  make  him  serious.  His  precepts  to  attract 
and  elevate  him.  His  promises  to  cheer  him,  His  gracious 
deeds  and  sufierings  to  humble  him  to  the  dust,  and  to 
bind  his  heart  once  and  for  ever  in  gratitude  to  Him 
who  is  so  surpassing  in  mercy.  All  these  things  act 
upon  him;  and,  as  truly  as  St.  Matthew  rose  from  the 
receipt  of  custom  when  Christ  called,  heedless  what  by- 
standers would  say  of  him,  so  they  who,  through  grace, 
obey  the  secret  voice  of  God,  move  onward  contrary  to 
the  world's  way,  and  careless  what  mankind  may  say  of 
them,  as  understanding  that  they  have  souls,  which  is 
the  one  thing  they  have  to  care  about. 

I  am  well  aware  that  there  are  indiscreet  teachers 
gone  forth  into  the  world,  who  use  language  such  as  I 
have  used,  but  mean  something  very  different.  Such 
are  they  who  deny  the  grace  of  baptism,  and  think  that 
a  man  is  converted  to  God  all  at  once.  But  I  have  no 
need  now  to  mention  the  difference  between  their  teaching 
and  that  of  Scripture.  Whatever  their  peculiar  errors 
are,  so  far  as  they  say  that  we  are  by  nature  blind  and 
sinful,  and  must,  through  God's  grace,  and  our  own 
endeavours,  learn  that  we  have  souls  and  rise  to  a  new 
life,  severing  ourselves  from  the  world  that  is,  and 
walking  by  faith  in  what  is  unseen  and  future,  so  far 
they  say  true,  for  they  speak  the  words  of  Scripture ; 


The  Immortality  of  the  Soul.  23 

which  says,  "  Awake  thou  that  sleepest,  and  arise  from 
the  dead,  and  Christ  shall  give  thee  light.  See  then 
that  ye  walk  circumspectly,  not  as  fools,  but  as  wise, 
redeeming  the  time,  because  the  days  are  evil ;  wherefore 
be  ye  not  unwise,  but  understanding  what  the  will  of 
the  Lord  is'." 

Let  us,  then,  seriously  question  ourselves,  and  beg  of 
God  grace  to  do  so  honestly,  whether  we  are  loosened 
from  the  world ;  or  whether,  living  as  dependent  on  it, 
and  not  on  the  Eternal  Author  of  our  being,  we  are  in 
fact  taking  our  portion  with  this  perishing  outward 
scene,  and  ignorant  of  our  having  souls.  I  know  very 
well  that  such  thoughts  are  distasteful  to  the  minds  of 
men  in  general.  Doubtless  many  a  one  there  is,  who, 
on  hearing  doctrines  such  as  I  have  been  insisting  on, 
says  in  his  heart,  that  religion  is  thus  made  gloomy  and 
repulsive ;  that  he  would  attend  to  a  teacher  who  spoke 
in  a  less  severe  way ;  and  that  in  fact  Christianity  was 
not  intended  to  be  a  dark  burdensome  law,  but  a  religion 
of  cheerfulness  and  joy.  This  is  what  young  people 
think,  though  they  do  not  express  it  in  this  argumenta- 
tive form.  They  view  a  strict  life  as  something  offensive 
and  hateful;  they  turn  from  the  notion  of  it.  And 
then,  as  they  get  older  and  see  more  of  the  world,  they 
learn  to  defend  their  opinion,  and  express  it  more  or  less 
in  the  way  in  which  I  have  just  put  it.  They  hate  and 
oppose  the  truth,  as  it  were  upon  principle ;  and  the 
more  they  are  told  that  they  have  souls,  the  more  re- 
solved they  are  to  live  as  if  they  had  not  souls.  But  let 
us  take  it  as  a  clear  point  from  the  first,  and  not  to  be 

»  Eph.  V.  14—17. 


24  The  Immortality  of  the  Soul. 

di6i)uted,  that  religion  must  ever  be  difficult  to  those 
who  neg-lect  it.  All  things  that  we  have  to  learn  are 
difficult  at  first ;  and  our  duties  to  God,  and  to  man 
lor  His  sake,  are  peculiarly  difficult,  because  they  call 
upon  us  to  take  up  a  new  life,  and  quit  the  love  of  this 
world  for  the  next.  It  cannot  be  avoided  ;  we  must  fear 
and  be  in  sorrow,  before  we  can  rejoice.  The  Gospel 
must  be  a  burden  before  it  comforts  and  brings  us  peace. 
No  one  can  have  his  heart  cut  away  from  the  natural 
objects  of  its  love,  without  pain  during  the  process  and 
throbbings  afterwards.  This  is  plain  from  the  nature  of 
the  case ;  and,  however  true  it  be,  that  this  or  that 
teacher  may  be  harsh  and  repulsive,  yet  he  cannot 
materially  alter  things.  Religion  is  in  itself  at  first  a 
weariness  to  the  worldly  mind,  and  it  requires  an  effort 
and  a  self-denial  in  every  one  who  honestly  determines 
to  be  religious. 

But  there  are  other  persons  who  are  far  more  hopeful 
than  those  I  have  been  speaking  of,  who,  when  they 
hear  repentance  and  newness  of  life  urged  on  them,  are 
frightened  at  the  thought  of  the  greatness  of  the  work ; 
they  are  disheartened  at  being  told  to  do  so  much. 
Now  let  it  be  well  understood,  that  to  realize  our  own 
individual  accountableness  and  immortality,  of  which  I 
have  been  speaking,  is  not  required  of  them  all  at  once. 
I  never  said  a  person  was  not  in  a  hopeful  way  who  did 
not  thus  fully  discern  the  world^s  vanity  and  the  worth 
of  his  soul.  But  a  man  is  truly  in  a  very  desperate  way 
ivho  does  not  wish,  who  does  not  try,  to  discern  and  feel 
all  this.  I  want  a  man  on  the  one  hand  to  confess  his 
immortality  with  his  lips,,  and  on  the  other,  to  live  as  if 


The  Immortality  of  the  Soul.  25 

he  tried  to  understand  his  own  words,  and  then  he  is  in 
tlie  way  of  salvation ;  he  is  in  the  way  towards  heaven, 
even  though  he  has  not  yet  fully  emancipated  himself 
from  the  fetters  of  this  world.  Indeed  none  of  us  (of 
course)  are  entirely  loosened  from  this  world.  We  all 
use  words,  in  speaking  of  our  duties,  higher  and  fuller 
than  we  really  understand.  No  one  entirely  realizes 
what  is  meant  by  his  having  a  soul ;  even  the  best  of 
men  is  but  in  a  state  of  progress  towards  the  simple 
truth;  and  the  most  weak  and  ignorant  of  those  who 
seek  after  it  cannot  but  be  in  progress.  And  therefore 
no  one  need  be  alarmed  at  hearing  that  he  has  much  to 
3o  before  he  arrives  at  a  right  view  of  his  own  condition 
in  God's  sight,  i.  e.  at  faith  ;  for  we  all  ha,ve  much  to 
do,  and  the  great  point  is,  are  we  willing  to  do  it  ? 

Oh  that  there  were  such  an  heart  in  us,  to  put  aside 
this  visijle  world,  to  desire  to  look  at  it  as  a  mere  screen 
between  us  and  God,  and  to  think  of  Him  who  has  entered 
in  beyond  the  veil,  and  who  is  watching  us,  trying  us, 
yes,  and  blessing,  and  influencing,  and  encouraging  us 
towards  good,  day  by  day !  Yet,  alas,  how  do  we  suffer 
the  mere  varying  circumstances  of  every  day  to  sway 
us !  How  difficult  it  is  to  remain  firm  and  in  one 
mind  under  the  seductions  or  terrors  of  the  world  \  We 
feel  variously  according  to  the  place,  time,  and  people 
we  are  with.  We  are  serious  on  Sunday,  and  we  sin 
deliberately  on  Monday.  We  rise  in  the  morning  with 
remorse  at  our  offences  and  resolutions  of  amendment, 
yet  before  night  we  have  transgressed  again.  The  mere 
change  of  society  puts  us  into  a  new  frame  of  mind  ;  nor 
do  we  sufficientlv  understand  this  great   weakness   of 


26  The  Tmmortality  of  the  Soul. 

ours,  or  seek  for  strength  where  alone  it  can  be  found, 
in  the  Unchang-eable  God.  What  will  be  our  thoughts 
in  that  day,  when  at  length  this  outward  world  drops 
away  altogether,  and  we  find  ourselves  where  we  ever 
have  been,  in  His  presence,  with  Christ  standing  at  His 
right  hand ! 

On  the  contrary,  what  a  blessed  discovery  is  it  to  those 
who  make  it,  that  this  world  is  but  vanity  and  without 
substance  ;  and  that  really  they  are  ever  in  their  Saviour's 
presence.  This  is  a  thought  which  it  is  scarcely  right  to 
enlarge  upon  in  a  mixed  congregation,  where  there  may  be 
some  who  have  not  given  their  hearts  to  God ;  for  why 
should  the  privileges  of  the  true  Christian  be  disclosed  to 
mankind  at  large,  and  sacred  subjects,  which  are  his  pecu- 
liar treasure,  be  made  common  to  the  careless  liver  ?  He 
knows  his  blessedness,  and  needs  not  another  to  tell  it 
him.  He  knows  in  whom  he  has  believed ;  and  in  the 
hour  of  danger  or  trouble  he  knows  what  is  meant  by 
that  peace,  which  Christ  did  not  explain  when  He  gave 
it  to  His  Apostles,  but  merely  said  it  was  not  as  the 
world  could  give. 

"  Thou  wilt  keep  him  in  perfect  peace  whose  mind  is 
stayed  on  Thee,  because  he  trusteth  in  Thee.  Trust  ye 
in  the  Lord  for  ever,  for  in  the  Lord  Jehovah  is  ever- 
lasting strength  ^" 

^  Tsa.  xxvi.  3.  4. 


SERMON   in. 
EnolDleDp  o£  (Bod'js  m,\\\  Xoit^oiit  dietiiencc, 

"  ^f y  know  these  things,  happy  are  ye  if  ye  do  them. " — ^JOHN  xiii.  1 7. 

rpHERE  never  was  a  people  or  an  age  to  whieli  these 
-*-  words  could  be  more  suitably  addressed  than  to  this 
country  at  this  time ;  because  we  know  more  of  the  way 
to  serve  God,  of  our  duties,  our  privileges,  and  our 
reward,  than  any  other  people  hitherto,  as  far  as  we 
have  the  means  of  judging.  To  us  then  especially 
our  Saviour  says,  "  If  ye  know  these  things,  happy  are 
ye  if  ye  do  them/^ 

Now,  doubtless,  many  of  us  think  we  know  this  very 
well.  It  seems  a  very  trite  thing  to  say,  that  it  is 
nothing  to  know  what  is  right,  unless  we  do  it ;  an  old 
subject  about  which  nothing  new  can  be  said.  When 
we  read  such  passages  in  Scripture,  we  pass  over  them 
as  admitting  them  without  dispute ;  and  thus  we  con- 
trive practically  to  forget  them.  Knowledge  is  nothing 
compared  with  doing;  but  the  knowing  that  knowledge 
is  nothing,  we  make  to  be  something,  we  make  it  count, 
and  thus  we  cheat  ourselves. 

This  we  do  in  parallel  cases  also.     Many  a  man  in- 


28  Knowledge  of  God's  Will 

Btoad  of  learning  humility  in  practice,  confesses  himself 
a  poor  sinner,  and  next  prides  himself"  upon  the  con- 
fession ;  he  ascribes  the  glory  of  his  redemption  to  God, 
and  then  becomes  in  a  manner  jorowfi?  that  he  is  redeemed. 
He  is  proud  of  his  so-called  humility. 

Doubtless  Christ  spoke  no  words  in  vain.  'I'he 
Eternal  Wisdom  of  God  did  not  utter  His  voice  that 
we  might  at  once  catch  up  His  words  in  an  irreverent 
manner,  think  we  understand  them  at  a  glance,  and 
pass  them  over.  But  His  word  endureth  for  ever; 
it  has  a  depth  of  meaning  suited  to  all  times  and  places, 
and  hardly  and  painfnlly  to  be  understood  in  any. 
They,  who  think  they  enter  into  it  easily,  may  be  quite 
sure  they  do  not  enter  into  it  at  all. 

Now  then  let  us  try,  by  His  grace,  to  make  the  text 
a  living  word  to  the  benefit  of  our  souls.  Our  Lord 
says,  "  If  ye  know,  happy  are  ye,  if  ye  do.^^  Let  us 
consider  how  we  commonly  read  Scripture. 

We  read  a  passage  in  the  Gospels,  for  instance,  a 
parable  perhaps,  or  the  account  of  a  miracle ;  or  we  read 
a  chapter  in  the  Prophets,  or  a  Psalm.  Who  is  not 
struck  with  the  beauty  of  what  he  reads  ?  I  do  not 
^sh  to  speak  of  those  who  read  the  Bible  only  now  and 
then,  and  who  will  in  consequence  generally  find  its 
sacred  pages  dull  and  uninteresting ;  but  of  those  who 
study  it.  Who  of  such  persons  does  not  see  the  beauty 
of  it  ?  for  instance,  take  the  passage  which  introduces 
the  text.  Christ  had  been  washing  His  disciples'  feet. 
He  did  so  at  a  season  of  great  mental  suffering ;  it  was 
just  before  He  was  seized  by  His  enemies  to  be  put 
to  death.     The  traitor.  His  familiar  friend,  was  in  the 


without  Obedience.  29 

room.  All  of  His  disciples^  even  the  most  devoted  of 
them,  loved  Him  much  less  than  they  thoug-ht  they  did. 
In  a  little  while  they  were  all  to  forsake  Him  and  flee. 
This  He  foresaw;  yet  He  calmly  washed  their  feet, 
and  then  He  told  them  that  He  did  so  hy  way  of  an 
example ;  that  they  should  be  full  of  lowly  services 
one  to  the  other,  as  He  to  them ;  that  he  among*  them 
was  in  fact  the  highest  who  put  himself  the  lowest. 
This  He  had  said  before ;  and  His  disciples  must  have 
recollected  it.  Perhaps  they  might  wonder  in  their 
secret  hearts  why  He  repeated  the  lesson ;  they  might 
say  to  themselves,  "  We  have  heard  this  before."  They 
might  be  surprised  that  His  significant  action.  His 
washing  their  feet,  issued  in  nothing  else  than  a  precept 
aheady  delivered,  the  command  to  be  humble.  At  the 
same  time  they  would  not  be  able  to  deny,  or  rather 
they  woidd  deeply  feel,  the  beauty  of  His  action.  Nay, 
as  loving  Him  (after  all)  above  all  things,  and  re- 
verencing Him  as  their  Lord  and  Teacher,  they  would 
feel  an  admiration  and  awe  of  Him ;  but  their  minds 
would  not  rest  sufficiently  on  the  practical  direction  of 
the  instruction  vouchsafed  to  them.  They  knew  the 
truth,  and  they  admired  it ;  they  did  not  observe  what  it 
was  they  lacked.  Such  may  be  considered  their  frame 
of  mind ;  and  hence  the  force  of  the  text,  delivered 
primarily  against  Judas  Iscariot,  who  knew  and  sinned 
deliberately  against  the  truth ;  secondarily  referring  to 
all  the  Apostles,  and  St.  Peter  chiefly,  who  promised  to 
be  faithful,  but  failed  under  the  trial ;  lastly,  to  us  all, — 
all  of  us  here  assembled,  who  hear  the  word  of  life 
continually,  know  it,  admire  it,  do  all  but  obey  it. 


JO  Knowledge  of  God's  Will 

Is  it  not  so?  is  not  Scripture  altogether  pleasant 
except  in  its  strictness  ?  do  not  we  try  to  persuade 
ourselves,  that  to  feel  religiously,  to  confess  our  love 
of  religion,  and  to  be  able  to  talk  of  religion,  will  stand 
in  the  place  of  careful  obedience,  of  that  self-denial 
which  is  the  very  substance  of  true  practical  religion  ? 
Alas  !  that  religion  which  is  so  delightful  as  a  vision, 
should  be  so  distasteful  as  a  reality.  Yet  so  it  is, 
whether  we  ai'e  aware  of  the  fact  or  not. 

1.  The  multitude  of  men  even  who  profess  religion 
are  in  this  state  of  mind.  We  will  take  the  case  of 
those  who  are  in  better  circumstances  than  the  mass  of 
the  community.  They  are  well  educated  and  taught; 
they  have  few  distresses  in  life,  or  are  able  to  get  over 
them  by  the  variety  of  their  occupations,  by  the  spirits 
which  attend  good  health,  or  at  least  by  the  lapse  of 
time.  They  go  on  respectably  and  happily,  with  the 
same  general  tastes  and  habits  which  they  would  have 
had  if  the  Gospel  had  not  been  given  them.  They  have 
an  eye  to  what  the  world  thinks  of  them  ;  are  charitable 
when  it  is  expected.  They  are  polished  in  their  manners, 
kind  from  natural  disposition  or  a  feeling  of  propriety. 
Thus  their  religion  is  based  upon  self  and  the  world, 
a  mere  civilization  ;  the  same  (I  say),  as  it  would  have 
been  in  the  main,  (taking  the  state  of  society  as  they 
find  it,)  even  supposing  Christianity  were  not  the 
religion  of  the  land.  But  it  is ;  and  let  us  go  on  to 
ask,  how  do  they  in  consequence  feel  towards  it  ?  They 
accept  it,  they  add  it  to  what  they  are,  they  ingraft  it 
upon  the  selfish  and  worldly  habits  of  an  unrenewed 
heart.     They    have    been    taught   to  revere  it,  and  to 


without  Obedience. 


3» 


believe  it  to  come  from  God ;  so  they  admire  it,  and 
accept  it  as  a  rule  of  life,  so  far  forth  as  it  agrees  with 
the  carnal  principles  which  govern  them.  So  far  as  it 
does  not  agree,  they  are  blind  to  its  excellence  and  its 
claims.  They  overlook  or  explain  away  its  precepts. 
They  in  no  sense  obey  because  it  commands.  They  do 
right  when  they  would  have  done  right  had  it  not 
commanded ;  however,  they  speak  well  of  it,  and  think 
they  understand  it.  Sometimes,  if  I  may  continue  the 
description,  they  adopt  it  into  a  certain  refined  elegance 
of  sentiments  and  manners,  and  then  the  irreligion  is  all 
that  is  graceful,  fastidious,  and  luxurious.  They  love 
religious  poetry  and  eloquent  preaching.  They  desire  to 
have  their  feelings  roused  and  soothed,  and  to  secure  a 
variety  and  rehef  in  that  eternal  subject  which  is  un- 
changeable. They  tire  of  its  simplicity,  and  perhaps 
seek  to  keep  up  their  interest  in  it  by  means  of  religious 
narratives,  fictitious  or  embellished,  or  of  news  from 
foreign  countries,  or  of  the  history  of  the  prospects 
or  successes  of  the  Gospel ;  thus  perverting  what  is  in 
itself  good  and  innocent.  This  is  their  state  of  mind  at 
best ;  for  more  commonly  they  think  it  enough  merely 
to  show  some  slight  regard  for  the  subject  of  religion ; 
to  attend  its  services  on  the  Lord's  day,  and  then  only 
once,  and  coldly  to  express  an  approbation  of  it.  But 
of  course  every  description  of  such  persons  can  be  but 
general;  for  the  shades  of  character  are  so  varied  and 
blended  in  individuals,  as  to  make  it  impossible  to  give 
an  accurate  picture,  and  often  very  estimable  persons 
and  truly  good  Christians  are  partly  infected  with  this 
bad  and  earthly  spirit. 


3  2  Knowledge  of  God's  Will 

2,  Take  a^-ain  another  description  of  them.  They 
have  perhaps  turned  their  attention  to  the  means  of  pro- 
moting' the  happiness  of  their  fellow-creatures^  and  have 
formed  a  system  of  morality  and  religion  of  their  own ; 
then  they  come  to  Scripture.  They  are  much  struck 
with  the  high  tone  of  its  precepts,  and  the  beauty  of  its 
teaching.  It  is  true,  they  find  many  things  in  it  which 
they  do  not  understand  or  do  not  approve ;  many  things 
they  would  not  have  said  themselves.  But  they  pass 
these  by;  they  fancy  that  these  do  not  apply  to  the 
present  day,  (which  is  an  easy  way  of  removing  any 
thing  we  do  not  like,)  and  on  the  whole  they  receive  the 
Bible,  and  they  think  it  highly  serviceable  for  the  lower 
classes.  Therefore,  they  recommend  it,  and  support  the 
institutions  which  are  the  channels  of  teaching  it.  But 
as  to  their  own  case,  it  never  comes  into  their  minds  to 
apply  its  precepts  seriously  to  themselves;  they  hnouu 
them  already,  they  consider.  They  know  them  and 
that  is  enough ;  but  as  for  doing  them,  by  which  I  mean, 
going  forward  to  obey  them,  with  an  unaffected  earnest- 
ness and  an  honest  faith  acting  upon  them,  receiving 
them  as  they  are,  and  not  as  their  own  previously  formed 
opinions  would  have  them  be,  they  have  nothing  of  this 
right  spirit.  They  do  not  contemplate  such  a  mode  of 
acting.  To  recommend  and  affect  a  moral  and  decent 
conduct  (on  whatever  principles)  seems  to  them  to  be 
enough.  The  spread  of  knowledge  bringing  in  its  train 
a  selfish  temperance,  a  selfish  peaceableness,  a  selfish 
benevolence,  the  morality  of  expedience,  this  satisfies 
them.  They  care  for  none  of  the  truths  of  Scripture,  on 
the  ground  of  their  being  in   Scripture;  these  scarcely 


without  Obedienct,  33 

become  more  valuable  in  their  eyes  for  being  there 
written.  They  do  not  obey  because  they  are  told  to 
obey,  on  faith ;  and  the  need  of  this  divine  principle  of 
conduct  they  do  not  comprehend.  Why  will  it  not 
answer  (they  seem  to  say)  to  make  men  good  in  one 
way  as  well  as  another  ?  "  Abana  and  Pharpar,  rivers 
of  Damascus,  are  they  not  better  than  all  the  waters  of 
Israel  ?^^  as  if  all  the  knowledge  and  the  training  that 
books  ever  gave  had  power  to  unloose  one  sinner  from 
the  bonds  of  Satan,  or  to  effect  more  than  an  outward 
reformation,  an  appearance  of  obedience ;  as  if  it  were 
not  a  far  different  principle,  a  principle  independent  of 
knowledge,  above  it  and  before  it,  which  leads  to  real 
obedience,  that  principle  of  divine  faith,  given  from 
above,  which  has  life  in  itself,  and  has  power  really  to 
use  knowledge  to  the  soul's  welfare ;  in  the  hand  of  which 
knowledge  is  (as  it  were)  the  torch  lighting  us  on  our 
way,  but  not  teaching  or  strengthening  us  to  walk. 

3.  Or  take  another  view  of  the  subject.  Is  it  not  one 
of  the  most  common  excuses  made  by  the  poor  for  being 
irreligious,  that  they  have  had  no  education  ?  as  if  to 
know  much  was  a  necessary  step  for  right  practice. 
Again,  they  are  apt  to  think  it  enough  to  know  and  to 
talk  of  religion,  to  make  a  man  religious.  Why  have 
you  come  hither  to-day,  my  brethren  ? — not  as  a  matter 
of  course,  I  will  hope ;  not  merely  because  friends  or 
superiors  told  you  to  come.  I  will  suppose  you  have 
come  to  church  as  a  religious  act ;  but  beware  of  sup- 
posing that  all  is  done  and  over  by  the  act  of  coming. 
It  is  not  enough  to  be  present  here ;  though  many  men 
act  as  if  they  forgot  they  must  attend  to  what  is  going 


34  Knowledge  of  God's  Will 

on,  as  well  as  come.  It  is  not  enough  to  listen  to  what 
is  preached ;  though  many  think  they  have  gone  a  great 
way  when  they  do  this.  You  must  pray ;  now  this  is 
very  hard  in  itself  to  any  one  who  tries  (and  this  is  the 
reason  why  so  many  men  prefer  the  sermon  to  the 
prayers,  because  the  former  is  merely  the  getting  know- 
ledge, and  the  latter  is  to  do  a  deed  of  obedience)  :  you 
mustjoray;  and  this  I  say  is  very  diflBcult,  because  our 
thoughts  are  so  apt  to  wander.  But  even  this  is  not 
all ; — ^you  must,  as  you  pray,  really  intend  to  try  to 
practise  what  you  pray  for.  When  you  say,  "  Lead  us 
not  into  temptation,"  you  must  in  good  earnest  mean  to 
avoid  in  your  daily  conduct  those  temptations  which 
you  have  already  suffered  from.  When  you  say,  "  Deliver 
us  from  evil,"  you  must  mean  to  struggle  against  that 
evil  in  your  hearts,  which  you  are  conscious  of,  and 
which  you  pray  to  be  forgiven.  This  is  difficult ;  still 
more  is  behind.  You  must  actually  carry  your  good 
intentions  into  effect  during  the  week,  and  in  truth  and 
reality  war  against  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil. 
And  any  one  here  present  who  falls  short  of  this,  that  is, 
who  thinks  it  enough  to  come  to  church  to  learn  God's 
will,  but  does  not  bear  in  mind  to  do  it  in  his  daily  con- 
duct, be  he  high  or  be  he  low,  know  he  mysteries  and  all 
knowledge,  or  be  he  unlettered  and  busily  occupied  in 
active  life,  he  is  a  fool  in  His  sight,  who  maketh  the 
wisdom  of  this  world  foolishness.  Surely  he  is  but  a 
trifler,  as  substituting  a  formal  outward  service  for  the 
religion  of  the  heart ;  and  he  reverses  our  Lord's  words 
in  the  text,  '^  because  he  knows  these  things,  most  un« 
happy  is  he^  because  be  does  them  not." 


without  Obedience.  35 

+,  But  some  one  may  say,  '  It  is  so  very  difficult  to 
serve  God,  it  is  so  much  against  my  own  mind,  such  an 
effort,  such  a  strain  upon  my  strength  to  bear  Christ^s 
yoke,  I  must  give  it  over,  or  I  must  delay  it  at  least. 
Can  nothing  be  taken  instead  ?  I  acknowledge  His  law 
to  be  most  holy  and  true,  and  the  accounts  I  read  about 
good  men  are  most  delightful.  I  wish  I  were  like 
them  with  all  my  heart ;  and  for  a  little  while  I  feel  in 
a  mind  to  set  about  imitating  them.  I  have  begun 
several  times,  I  have  had  seasons  of  repentance,  and  set 
rules  to  myself;  but  for  some  reason  or  other,  I  fell 
back  after  a  while,  and  was  even  worse  than  before.  1 
know,  but  I  cannot  do.     O  wretched  man  that  I  am  !  " 

Now  to  such  an  one  I  say.  You  are  in  a  much  more 
promising  state  than  if  you  were  contented  with  your- 
self, and  thought  that  knowledge  was  every  thing, 
which  is  the  grievous  blindness  which  I  have  hitherto 
been  speaking  of;  that  is,  you  are  in  a  better  state,  if 
you  do  not  feel  too  much  comfort  or  confidence  in  your 
confession.  For  this  is  the  fault  of  many  men ;  they 
make  such  an  acknowledgment  as  I  have  described  a 
substitute  for  real  repentance ;  or  allow  themselves,  after 
making  it,  to  put  off  repentance,  as  if  they  cordd  be 
suffered  to  give  a  word  of  promise  which  did  not  become 
due  (so  to  say)  for  many  days.  You  are,  I  admit,  in  a 
better  state  than  if  you  were  satisfied  with  yourself,  hut 
you  are  not  in  a  safe  state.  If  you  were  now  to  die,  you 
would  have  no  hope  of  salvation :  no  hope,  that  is,  if 
your  own  sliowing  be  true,  for  I  am  taking  your  own 
words.  Go  before  God^s  judgment-seat,  and  there  plead 
that  you  know  the  Truth  and  have  not  done  it.     This  is 


J  6  Knowledge  of  God's  Will 

what  you  frankly  own ; — how  will  it  there  be  taken  ? 
"  Out  of  thine  own  mouth  will  I  judge  thee/^  says  our 
Judge  Himself,  and  who  shall  reverse  His  judgment? 
Therefore  such  an  one  must  make  the  confession  with 
great  and  real  terror  and  shame,  if  it  is  to  be  considered 
a  promising  sign  in  him ;  else  it  is  mere  hardness  of 
lieart.  For  instance  :  I  have  heard  persons  say  lightly 
(every  one  must  have  heard  them)  that  they  own  it 
would  be  a  wretched  thing  indeed  for  them  or  their 
companions  to  be  taken  off  suddenly.  The  young  are 
especially  apt  to  say  this ;  that  is,  before  they  have  come 
to  an  age  to  be  callous,  or  have  formed  excuses  to  over- 
come the  natural  true  sense  of  their  conscience.  They 
say  they  hope  some  day  to  repent.  This  is  their  own 
witness  against  themselves,  like  that  oad  prophet  at 
Bethel  who  was  constrained  with  his  own  mouth  to 
utter  God's  judgments  while  he  sat  at  his  sinful  meat. 
But  let  not  such  an  one  think  that  he  will  receive  any 
thing  of  the  Lord :  he  does  not  speak  in  faith. 

When,  then,  a  man  complains  of  his  hardness  of  heart 
or  weakness  of  purpose,  let  him  see  to  it  whether  this 
complaint  is  more  than  a  mere  pretence  to  quiet  his  con- 
science, which  is  frightened  at  his  putting  off  repent- 
ance ;  or,  again,  more  than  a  mere  idle  word,  said  half 
in  jest  and  half  in  compunction.  But,  should  he  be 
earnest  in  his  complaint,  then  let  him  consider  he  has  no 
need  to  complain.  Every  thing  is  plain  and  easy  to  the 
earnest;  it  is  the  double-minded  who  find  diflBculties. 
If  you  hate  your  own  corruption  in  sincerity  and  truth, 
if  you  are  really  pierced  to  the  heart  that  you  do  not  do 
what  you  know  you  should  do,  if  you  would  love  God  if 


without  Obedience.  yj 

you  could^  then  the  Gospel  speaks  to  you  words  of  peace 
and  hope.  It  is  a  very  different  thing  indolently  to  say, 
"  I  would  I  were  a  different  man/^  and  to  close  with 
God^s  offer  to  make  you  different,  when  it  is  put  before 
you.  Here  is  the  test  between  earnestness  and  insin- 
cerity. You  say  you  wish  to  be  a  different  man ;  Christ 
takes  you  at  your  word,  so  to  speak ;  He  offers  to  make 
you  different.  He  says,  "  I  will  take  away  from  you 
the  heart  of  stone,  the  love  of  this  world  and  its  plea- 
sures, if  you  will  submit  to  My  discipline.'^  Here  a 
man  draws  back.  No ;  he  cannot  bear  to  lose  the  love 
of  the  world,  to  part  with  his  present  desires  and  tastes  ; 
he  cannot  consent  to  be  changed.  After  all  he  is  well 
satisfied  at  the  bottom  of  his  heart  to  remain  as  he  is, 
only  he  wants  his  conscience  taken  out  of  the  way.  Did 
Christ  offer  to  do  this  for  him,  if  He  would  but  make 
bitter  sweet  and  sweet  bitter,  darkness  light  and  light 
darkness,  then  he  would  hail  the  glad  tidings  of  peace; — 
till  then  he  needs  Him  not. 

But  if  a  man  is  in  earnest  in  wishing  to  get  at  the 
depths  of  his  own  heart,  to  expel  the  evil,  to  purify  the 
good,  and  to  gain  power  over  himself,  so  as  to  do  as 
well  as  know  the  Truth,  what  is  the  difficulty  ? — a 
matter  of  time  indeed,  but  not  of  uncertainty  is  the 
recovery  of  such  a  man.  So  simple  is  the  rule  which  he 
must  follow,  and  so  trite,  that  at  first  he  will  be  sur- 
prised to  hear  it.  God  does  great  things  by  plain 
methods;  and  men  start  from  them  through  pride, 
because  they  are  plain.  This  was  the  conduct  of  Naaman 
the  Syrian.  Christ  says,  "  Watch  and  pray ; "  herein 
lies  our  cure.     To  watch  and  to  pray  are  surely  in  oui 


3  8  Knowledge  of  God's  Will 

power,  and  by  these  means  we  are  certain  of  getting 
strength.  You  feel  your  weakness ;  you  fear  to  be  over- 
come by  temptation  :  then  keep  out  of  the  way  of  it. 
This  is  watching.  Avoid  society  which  is  likely  to 
mislead  you;  flee  from  the  very  shadow  of  evil;  you 
cannot  be  too  careful ;  better  be  a  little  too  strict  than  a 
little  too  easy, — it  is  the  safer  side.  Abstain  from 
reading  books  which  are  dangerous  to  you.  Turn 
from  bad  thoughts  when  they  arise,  set  about  some 
business,  begin  conversing  with  some  friend,  or  say 
to  yourself  the  Lord's  Prayer  reverently.  When  you 
are  urged  by  temptation,  whether  it  be  by  the  threats 
of  the  world,  false  shame,  self-interest,  provoking 
conduct  on  the  part  of  another,  or  the  world^s  sinful 
pleasures,  urged  to  be  cowardly,  or  covetous,  or  un- 
forgiving, or  sensual,  shut  your  eyes  and  think  of 
Christ^s  precious  blood-shedding.  Do  not  dare  to  say 
you  cannot  help  sinning;  a  little  attention  to  these 
points  will  go  far  (through  God's  grace)  to  keep  you 
in  the  right  way.  And  again,  pray  as  well  as  watch. 
You  must  know  that  you  can  do  nothing  of  yourself; 
your  past  experience  has  taught  you  this ;  therefore  look 
to  God  for  the  will  and  the  power;  ask  Him  earnestly 
in  His  Son's  name;  seek  His  holy  ordinances.  Is 
not  this  in  your  power?  Have  you  not  power  at 
least  over  the  limbs  of  your  body,  so  as  to  attend  the 
means  of  grace  constantly  ?  Have  you  literally  not 
the  power  to  come  hither ;  to  observe  the  Fasts  and 
Festivals  of  the  Church;  to  come  to  His  Holy  Altar 
and  receive  the  Bread  of  Life  ?  Get  yourself,  at  least,  to 
do  this ;  to  put  out  the  hand,  to  take  His  gracious  Body 


without  Obedience.  39 

and  Blood ;  this  is  no  arduous  work ; — and  you  say  you 
really  wish  to  gain  the  blessings  He  offers.  What 
would  you  have  more  than  a  free  gift,  vouchsafed 
"without  money  and  without  price  ?'^  So,  make  no 
more  excuses ;  murmur  not  about  your  own  bad  heart, 
your  knowing  and  resolving,  and  not  doing.  Here  is 
your  remedy. 

Well  were  it  if  men  could  be  persuaded  to  be  in 
earaest;  but  few  are  thus  minded.  The  many  go  on 
with  a  double  aim,  trying  to  serve  both  God  and  mam- 
mon. Few  can  get  themselves  to  do  what  is  right, 
because  God  tells  them;  they  have  another  aim;  they 
desire  to  please  self  or  men.  When  they  can  obey  God 
without  offending  the  bad  Master  that  rules  them,  then, 
and  then  only,  they  obey.  Thus  religion,  instead  of 
oeing  the  first  thing  in  their  estimation,  is  but  the 
second.  They  differ,  indeed,  one  from  another  what  to 
put  foremost :  one  man  loves  to  be  at  ease,  another  to  be 
busy,  another  to  enjoy  domestic  comfort :  but  they  agree 
in  converting  the  truth  of  God,  which  they  know  to  be 
Truth,  into  a  mere  instrument  of  secular  aims;  not 
discarding  the  Truth,  but  degrading  it. 

When  He,  the  Lord  of  hosts,  comes  to  shake  terribly 
the  earth,  what  number  wiU  He  find  of  the  remnant  oi 
the  true  Israel?  We  live  in  an  educated  age.  The 
false  gloss  of  a  mere  worldly  refinement  makes  us  decent 
and  amiable.  We  all  know  and  profess.  We  think 
ourselves  wise ;  we  flatter  each  other ;  we  make  excuses 
for  ourselves  when  we  are  conscious  we  sin,  and  thus  we 
gradually  lose  the  consciousness  that  we  are  sinning. 
We  think  our  own  times  superior  to  all  others.     "  Thou 


40  Knowledge  of  God's  Will. 

blind  Pharisee!"  Tliis  was  the  fatal  charge  brought  by 
our  blessed  Lord  against  the  falsely  enlightened  teachers 
of  His  own  day.  As  then  we  desire  to  enter  into  life, 
let  us  come  to  Christ  continually  for  the  two  founda- 
tions of  true  Christian  faith, — humbleness  of  mind  and 
earnestness ! 


SERMON   IV. 
»»eccet  jFault0» 

■  Who  can   understand  kis  errors?      Cleanse    Thou   me  from   secret 
faults." — Psalm  xix.  12. 

O  TRANGE  as  it  may  seem,  multitudes  called  Christians 
^  go  through  life  with  no  effort  to  obtain  a  correct 
knowledge  of  themselves.  They  are  contented  with 
general  and  vague  impressions  concerning  their  real 
state;  and,  if  they  have  more  than  this,  it  is  merely 
such  accidental  information  about  themselves  as  the 
events  of  life  force  upon  them.  But  exact  systematic 
knowledge  they  have  none,  and  do  not  aim  at  it. 

When  I  say  this  is  strange,  I  do  not  mean  to  imply 
that  to  know  ourselves  is  easy ;  it  is  very  difficult  to 
know  ourselves  even  in  part,  and  so  far  ignorance  of 
ourselves  is  not  a  strange  thing.  But  its  strangeness 
consists  in  this,  viz.  that  men  should  profess  to  receive 
and  act  upon  the  great  Christian  doctrines,  while  they 
are  thus  ignorant  of  themselves,  considering  that  self- 
knowledge  is  a  necessary  condition  for  understanding 
them.  Thus  it  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  all  those 
who  neglect  the  duty  of  habitual  self-examination  are 
using  words  without   meaning.     The  doctrines   of   th« 


42  Secret  Faults. 

forgiveness  of  sins,  and  of  a  new  birth  from  sin,  cannot 
be  understood  without  some  right  knowledge  of  the 
nature  of  sin,  that  is,  of  our  own  heart.  We  may,  in- 
deed, assent  to  a  form  of  words  which  declares  those 
doctrines  ;  but  if  such  a  mere  assent,  however  sincere,  is 
the  same  as  a  real  holding  of  them,  and  belief  in  them, 
then  it  is  equally  possible  to  believe  in  a  proposition  the 
terms  of  which  belong  to  some  foreign  language,  which 
is  obviously  absm'd.  Yet  nothing  is  more  common  than 
for  men  to  think  that  because  they  are  familiar  with 
words,  they  understand  the  ideas  they  stand  for.  Educated 
persons  despise  this  fault  in  illiterate  men  who  use 
hard  words  as  if  they  comprehended  them.  Yet  they 
themselves,  as  well  as  others,  fall  into  the  same  error  in 
a  more  subtle  form,  when  they  think  they  understand 
terms  used  in  morals  and  religion,  because  such  are 
common  words,  and  have  been  used  by  them  all  their 
lives. 

Now  (1  repeat)  unless  we  have  some  just  idea  of  our 
hearts  and  of  sin,  we  can  have  no  right  idea  of  a  Moral 
Governor,  a  Saviour  or  a  Sanctifier,  that  is,  in  professing 
to  believe  in  Them,  we  shall  be  using  words  without 
attaching  distinct  meaning  to  them.  Thus  self-know- 
ledge is  at  the  root  of  all  real  religious  knowledge ;  and 
it  is  in  vain, — worse  than  vain, — it  is  a  deceit  and  a 
mischief,  to  think  to  understand  the  Christian  doctrines 
as  a  matter  of  course,  merely  by  being  taught  by  books, 
or  by  attending  sermons,  or  by  any  outward  means, 
however  excellent,  taken  by  themselves.  For  it  is  in 
proportion  as  we  search  our  hearts  and  understand  our 
own  natxre,  that  we  understand  what  is  meant  by  an 


Secret  Faults.  43 

Infinite  Governor  and  Judge;  in  proportion  as  we 
comprehend  the  nature  of  disobedience  and  our  actual 
sinfulness,  that  we  feel  what  is  the  blessing  of  the 
removal  of  sin,  redemption,  pardon,  sanctification,  which 
otherwise  are  mere  words.  God  speaks  to  us  primarily 
in  our  hearts.  Self-knowledge  is  the  key  to  the  pre- 
cepts and  doctrines  of  Scripture.  The  very  utmost  any 
outward  notices  of  religion  can  do,  is  to  startle  us  and 
make  us  turn  inward  and  search  our  hearts ;  and  then^ 
when  we  have  experienced  what  it  is  to  read  ourselves, 
we  shall  profit  by  the  doctrines  of  the  Church  and 
the  Bible. 

Of  course  self-knowledge  admits  of  degrees.  No  one 
perhaps,  is  entirely  ignorant  of  himself;  and  even  the 
most  advanced  Christian  knows  himself  only  "  in  part.'" 
However,  most  men  are  contented  with  a  slight  ac- 
quaintance with  their  hearts,  and  therefore  a  superficial 
faith.  This  is  the  point  which  it  is  my  purpose  to 
insist  upon.  Men  are  satisfied  to  have  numberless  secret 
faults.  They  do  not  think  about  them,  either  as  sins 
or  as  obstacles  to  strength  of  faith,  and  live  on  as  if 
they  had  nothing  to  learn. 

Now  let  us  consider  attentively  the  strong  presumption 
that  exists,  that  we  all  have  serious  secret  faults ;  a  fact 
which,  I  beheve,  all  are  ready  to  confess  in  general 
terms,  though  few  like  calmly  and  practically  to  dwell 
upon  it  j  as  I  now  wish  to  do. 

1.  Now  the  most  ready  method  of  convincing  our- 
selves of  the  existence  in  us  of  faults  unknown  to  our- 
selves, is  to  consider  how  plainly  we  see  the  secret  faults 
of  others ,      A.t  first  sight  there  is  of  course  no  reason  for 


44  Secret  Faults. 

supposing  that  we  differ  materially  from  those  around 
us ;  and  if  we  see  sins  in  them  which  they  do  not  see,  it 
is  a  presumption  that  they  have  their  own  discoveries 
about  ourselves,  which  it  would  surprise  us  to  hear. 
For  instance :  how  apt  is  an  angry  man  to  fancy 
that  he  has  the  command  of  himself!  The  very  charge 
of  being  angry,  if  brought  against  him,  will  anger  him 
more;  and,  in  the  height  of  his  discomposure,  he  will 
profess  himself  able  to  reason  and  judge  with  clearness 
and  impartiality.  Now,  it  may  be  his  turn  another 
day,  for  what  we  know,  to  witness  the  same  failing  in 
us ;  or,  if  we  are  not  naturally  inclined  to  violent 
passion,  still  at  least  we  may  be  subject  to  other  sins, 
equally  unknown  to  ourselves,  and  equally  known  to 
him  as  his '  anger  was  to  us.  For  example :  there  are 
persons  who  act  mainly  from  self-interest  at  times  when 
they  conceive  they  are  doing  generous  or  virtuous  actions ; 
they  give  freely,  or  put  themselves  to  trouble,  and  are 
praised  by  the  world,  and  by  themselves,  as  if  acting  on 
high  principle ;  whereas  close  observers  can  detect  desire 
of  gain,  love  of  applause,  shame,  or  the  mere  satisfaction 
of  being  busy  and  active,  as  the  principal  cause  of  their 
good  deeds.  This  may  be  our  condition  as  well  as  that 
of  others ;  or,  if  it  be  not,  still  a  parallel  infirmity,  the 
bondage  of  some  other  sin  or  sins,  which  others  see,  and 
we  do  not. 

But,  say  there  is  no  human  being  sees  sin  in  us,  of 
which  we  are  not  aware  ourselves,  (though  this  is  a  bold 
supposition  to  make,)  yet  why  should  man's  accidental 
knowledge  of  us  limit  the  extent  of  our  imperfections  ? 
Should  all  the  world  speak  well  of  us,  and  good  men 


Secret  Faults.  45 

hail  us  as  brothers,  after  all  there  is  a  Judge  who  trieth 
the  hearts  and  the  reins.  He  knows  our  real  state; 
have  we  earnestly  besought  Him  to  teach  us  the  know- 
ledge of  our  own  hearts  ?  If  we  have  not,  that  very- 
omission  is  a  presumption  against  us.  Though  our 
praise  were  throughout  the  Church,  we  may  be  sure  He 
sees  sins  without  number  in  us,  sins  deep  and  heinous, 
of  which  we  have  no  idea.  If  man  sees  so  much  evil  in 
human  nature,  what  must  God  see  ?  "If  our  heart 
condemn  us,  God  is  greater  than  our  heart,  and  knoweth 
all  things.'^  Not  acts  alone  of  sin  does  He  set  down 
against  us  daily,  of  which  we  know  nothing,  but  the 
thoughts  of  the  heart  too.  The  stirrings  of  pride,  vanity, 
covetousness,  impurity,  discontent,  resentment,  these 
succeed  each  other  through  the  day  in  momentary 
emotions,  and  are  known  to  Him.  We  know  them 
not ;  but  how  much  does  it  concern  us  to  know  them  ! 

2.  This  consideration  is  suggested  by  the  first  view  of 
the  subject.  Now  reflect  upon  the  actual  disclosures  of 
our  hidden  weakness,  which  accidents  occasion.  Peter 
followed  Christ  boldly,  and  suspected  not  his  own  heart, 
tin  it  betrayed  him  in  the  hour  of  temptation,  and  led 
him  to  deny  his  Lord.  David  lived  years  of  happy 
obedience  while  he  was  in  private  life.  What  calm, 
clear-sighted  faith  is  manifested  in  his  answer  to  Saul 
about  Goliath : — "  The  Lord  that  delivered  me  out  of 
the  paw  of  the  lion,  and  out  of  the  paw  of  the  bear.  He 
will  deliver  me  out  of  the  hand  of  this  Philistine  \''^ 
Nay,  not  only  in  retired  life,  in  severe  trial,  under  ill 
usage  from   Saul,   he   continued  faithful  to   hie  God; 

'  1  Sam.  xvii.  37. 


46  Secret  Faults. 

years  and  years  did  he  go  on,  fortifying  his  heart,  and 
learning  the  fear  of  the  Lord ;  yet  power  and  wealth 
weakened  his  faith,  and  for  a  season  overcame  him. 
There  was  a  time  when  a  prophet  could  retort  upon 
him,  "  Thou  art  the  man  ' ''  whom  thou  condemnest. 
He  had  kept  his  principles  in  words,  but  lost  them  in 
his  heart.  Hezekiah  is  another  instance  of  a  religious 
man  bearing  trouble  well,  but  for  a  season  falling  back 
under  the  temptation  of  prosperity;  and  that,  after 
extraordinary  mercies  had  been  vouchsafed  to  him  ^. 
And  if  these  things  be  so  in  the  case  of  the  favoured 
saints  of  God,  what  (may  we  suppose)  is  our  own  real 
spiritual  state  in  His  sight  ?  It  is  a  serious  thought. 
The  warning  to  be  deduced  from  it  is  this  : — Never  to 
think  we  have  a  due  knowledge  of  ourselves  till  we  have 
been  exposed  to  various  kinds  of  temptations,  and  tried 
on  every  side.  Integrity  on  one  side  of  our  character  is 
no  voucher  for  integrity  on  another.  We  cannot  tell 
how  we  should  act  if  brought  under  temptations  different 
from  those  which  we  have  hitherto  experienced.  This 
thought  should  keep  us  humble.  We  are  sinners,  but 
we  do  not  know  how  great.  He  alone  knows  who  died 
for  our  sins. 

3.  Thus  much  we  cannot  but  allow;  that  we  do  not 
know  ourselves  in  those  respects  in  which  we  have  not 
been  tried.  But  farther  than  this ;  What  if  we  do  not 
know  ourselves  even  where  we  have  been  tried,  and 
found  faithful  ?  It  is  a  remarkable  circumstance  which 
has  been  often  observed,  that  if  we  look  to  some  of  the 
most  eminent  saints  of  Scripture,  we  shall  find  their 
>  2  Sam.  xii.  7.  »  2  Kings  xx.  12—19. 


Secret  Faults,  47 

recorded  errors  to  have  occurred  in  those  parts  of  tlieir 
duty  in  which  each  had  had  most  trials  and  generally 
showed  obedience  most  perfect.  Faithful  Abraham 
through  want  of  faith  denied  his  wife.  Moses,  the 
meekest  of  men,  was  excluded  from  the  land  of  promise 
for  a  passionate  word.  The  wisdom  of  Solomon  was 
seduced  to  bow  down  to  idols.  Barnabas  again,  the  son 
of.  consolation,  had  a  sharp  contention  with  St.  Paul.  If 
then  men,  who  knew  themselves  better  than  we  doubt- 
less know  ourselves,  had  so  much  of  liidden  infirmity 
about  them,  even  in  those  parts  of  their  character  which 
were  most  free  from  blame,  what  are  we  to  think  of  our- 
selves ?  and  if  our  very  virtues  be  so  defiled  with 
imperfection,  what  must  be  the  unknown  multiplied 
circumstances  of  evil  which  aggravate  the  guilt  of  our 
sins  ?     This  is  a  third  presumption  against  us. 

4,  Think  of  this  too.  No  one  begins  to  examine 
himself,  and  to  pray  to  know  himself  (with  David  in 
the  text),  but  he  finds  within  him  an  abundance  of  faults 
which  before  were  either  entirely  or  almost  entirely  un- 
known to  him.  That  this  is  so,  we  learn  from  the 
written  lives  of  good  men,  and  our  own  experience  of 
others.  And  hence  it  is  that  the  best  men  are  ever  the 
most  humble ;  for,  having  a  higher  standard  of  excellence 
in  their  minds  than  others  have,  and  knowing  themselves 
better,  they  see  somewhat  of  the  breadth  and  depth  of 
their  own  sinful  nature,  and  are  shocked  and  frightened 
at  themselves.  The  generality  of  men  cannot  under- 
stand this ;  and  if  at  times  the  habitual  self-condemna- 
tion of  religious  men  breaks  out  into  words,  they  think 
it  arises  from  aflFectation,  or  from  a  strange  distempered 


48  Secret  Faults. 

state  of  mind,  or  from  accidental  melancholy  and 
disquiet.  Whereas  the  confession  of  a  good  man 
against  himself,  is  really  a  witness  against  all  thought- 
less j)ersons  who  hear  it,  and  a  call  on  them  to  examine 
their  own  hearts.  Doubtless  the  more  we  examine 
ourselves,  the  more  imperfect  and  ignorant  we  shall  find 
ourselves  to  be. 

5.  But  let  a  man  persevere  in  prayer  and  watchfulness 
to  the  day  of  his  death,  yet  he  will  never  get  to  the 
bottom  of  his  heart.  Though  he  know  more  and  more 
of  himself  as  he  becomes  more  conscientious  and  earnest, 
still  the  full  manifestation  of  the  secrets  there  lodged,  is 
reserved  for  another  world.  And  at  the  last  day  who 
can  tell  the  affright  and  horror  of  a  man  who  lived  to 
himself  on  earth,  indulging  his  own  evil  will,  following 
his  own  chance  notions  of  truth  and  falsehood,  shunning 
the  cross  and  the  reproach  of  Christ,  when  his  eyes  are 
at  length  opened  before  the  throne  of  God,  and  all  his 
innumerable  sins,  his  habitual  neglect  of  God,  his  abuse 
of  his  talents,  his  misapplication  and  waste  of  time,  and 
the  original  unexplored  sinfulness  of  his  nature,  are 
brought  clearly  and  fully  to  his  view?  Nay,  even  to 
the  true  servants  of  Christ,  the  prospect  is  awful.  "  The 
righteous,'^  we  are  told,  ''will  scarcely  be  saved \'* 
Then  will  the  good  man  undergo  the  full  sight  of  his 
sins,  which  on  earth  he  was  labouring  to  obtain,  and 
partly  succeeded  in  obtaining,  though  life  was  not  long 
enough  to  learn  and  subdue  them  all.  Doubtless  we 
must  all  endure  that  fierce  and  terrifying  vision  cf  our 
real  selves,  that  last  fiery  trial  of  the  soul  *  before  its 
»  1  Pet.  iv.  18.  3  1  Cor.  iii.  18. 


Secret  Faults,  49 

acceptance,  a  spiritual  agony  and  second  death  to  all 
who  are  not  then  supported  by  the  strength  of  Him  who 
died  to  bring  them  safe  through  it,  and  in  whom  on 
earth  they  have  believed. 

My  brethren,  I  appeal  to  your  reason  whether  these 
presumptions  are  not  in  their  substance  fair  and  just. 
And  if  so,  next  I  appeal  to  your  consciences,  whether 
they  are  new  to  you ;  for  if  you  have  not  even  thought 
about  your  real  state,  nor  even  know  how  little  you 
know  of  yourselves,  how  can  you  in  good  earnest  be 
purifying  yourselves  for  the  next  world,  or  be  walking 
in  the  narrow  way  ? 

And  yet  how  many  are  the  chances  that  a  number  of 
those  who  now  hear  me  have  no  sufficient  knowledge  of 
themselves,  or  sense  of  their  ignorance,  and  are  in  peril 
of  their  souls !  Christ's  ministers  cannot  tell  who  are, 
and  who  are  not,  the  true  elect :  but  when  the  difficulties 
in  the  way  of  knowing  yourselves  aright  are  considered, 
it  becomes  a  most  serious  and  immediate  question  for 
each  of  you  to  entertain,  whether  or  not  he  is  living  a 
life  of  self-deceit,  and  thinking  far  more  comfortably  of 
his  spiritual  state  than  he  has  any  right  to  do.  For  call 
to  mind  the  impediments  that  are  in  the  way  of  your 
knowing  yourselves^  or  feeling  your  ignorance,  and  then 
judge. 

1.  First  of  all,  self-knowledge  does  not  come  as  a 
matter  of  course ;  it  implies  an  effort  and  a  work.  As 
well  may  we  suppose,  that  the  knowledge  of  the  lan- 
guages comes  by  nature,  as  that  acquaintance  with  our 
own  heart  is  natural.     Now  the  very  effort  of  steadily 

[I]  E 


5©  Secret  Faults. 

reflecting",  is  itself  painful  to  many  men ;  not  to  speali 
of  the  difficulty  of  reflecting  correctly.  To  ask  ourselves 
why  we  do  this  or  that,  to  take  account  of  the  principles 
which  govern  us,  and  see  whether  we  act  for  conscience^ 
sake  or  from  some  lower  inducement,  is  painfvd.  We  are 
busy  in  the  world,  and  what  leisure  time  we  have  we 
readily  devote  to  a  less  severe  and  wearisome  employment. 

2,  And  then  comes  in  our  self-love.  We  hope  the 
best ;  this  saves  us  the  trouble  of  examining.  Self-love 
answers  for  our  safety.  We  think  it  sufficient  caution 
to  allow  for  certain  possible  unknown  faults  at  the  ut- 
most, and  to  take  them  into  the  reckoning  when  we 
balance  our  account  with  our  conscience  :  whereas,  if  the 
truth  were  kno\vii  to  us,  we  should  find  we  had  nothing 
but  debts,  and  those  greater  than  we  can  conceive,  and 
ever  increasing. 

3.  And  this  favourable  judgment  of  ourselves  will 
especially  prevail,  if  we  have  the  misfortune  to  have 
uninterrupted  health  and  high  spirits,  and  domestic  com- 
fort. Health  of  body  and  mind  is  a  great  blessing,  if 
we  can  bear  it ;  but  unless  chastened  by  watchings  and 
fastings ',  it  wiU  commonly  seduce  a  man  into  the 
notion  that  he  is  much  better  than  he  really  is.  Resist- 
ance to  our  acting  rightly,  whether  it  proceed  from 
within  or  without,  tries  our  principle ;  but  when  things 
go  smoothly,  and  we  have  but  to  wish,  and  we  can  per- 
form, we  cannot  tell  how  far  we  do  or  do  not  act  from  a 
sense  of  duty.  When  a  man's  spirits  are  high,  he  is 
pleased  with  every  thing;  and  with  himself  especially. 
He  can  act  with  vigour  and  promptness,  and  he  mistakes 

»  2  Cor.  xi.  27. 


Secret  Faults  5 1 

this  mere  constitutional  energy  for  strength  of  faith. 
He  is  cheerful  and  contented ;  and  he  mistakes  this  for 
Christian  peace.  And,  if  happy  in  his  family ^  he  mis- 
takes mere  natural  affection  for  Christian  benevolence, 
and  the  confirmed  temper  of  Christian  love.  In  short, 
he  is  in  a  dream,  from  which  nothing  could  have  saved 
him  except  deej)  humility,  and  nothing  will  ordinarily 
rescue  him  except  sharp  affliction. 

Other  accidental  circumstances  are  frequently  causes 
of  a  similar  self-deceit.  While  we  remain  in  retirement 
from  the  world,  we  do  not  know  ourselves ;  or  after  any 
great  mercy  or  trial,  which  has  affected  us  much,  and 
given  a  temporary  strong  impulse  to  our  obedience ;  or 
when  we  are  in  keen  pursuit  of  some  good  object,  which 
excites  the  mind,  and  for  a  time  deadens  it  to  temptation. 
Under  such  circumstances  we  are  ready  to  think  far  too 
well  of  ourselves.  The  world  is  away ;  or,  at  least,  we 
are  insensible  to  its  seductions ;  and  we  mistake  our 
merely  temporary  tranquillity,  or  our  over-wrought  fer- 
vour of  mind,  on  the  one  hand  for  Christian  peace,  on 
the  other  for  Christian  zeal. 

4.  Next  we  must  consider  the  force  of  habit.  Con- 
science at  first  warns  us  against  sin ;  but  if  we  disregard 
it,  it  soon  ceases  to  upbraid  us ;  and  thus  sins,  once 
known,  in  time  become  secret  sins.  It  seems  then 
(and  it  is  a  startling  reflection),  that  the  more  guilty  we 
Are,  the  less  we  know  it;  for  the  oftener  we  sin,  the  less 
we  are  distressed  at  it.  I  think  many  of  us  may,  on 
reflection,  recollect  instances,  in  oui  experience  of  our- 
selves, of  our  g-radually  forgetting  things  to  be  wrong 
which  once  shockeo'  us.     Such  is  the  force  of  habit.     By 


52  Secret  Faults. 

it  (for  instance)  men  contrive  to  allow  themselves  in 
NJirious  kinds  of  dishonesty.  They  bring  themselves  to 
affirm  what  is  untrue,  or  what  they  are  not  sure  is  true, 
in  the  course  of  business.  They  overreach  and  cheat ; 
and  still  more  are  they  likely  to  fall  into  low  and  selfish 
ways  without  their  observing  it,  and  all  the  while  to 
continue  careful  in  their  attendance  on  the  Christian 
ordinances,  and  bear  about  them  a  form  of  religion.  Or, 
again,  they  will  live  in  self-indulgent  habits;  eat  and 
drink  more  than  is  right ;  display  a  needless  pomp  and 
splendour  in  their  domestic  arrangements,  without  any 
misgiving;  much  less  do  they  think  of  simplicity  of 
manners  and  abstinence  as  Christian  duties.  Now  we 
cannot  suppose  they  always  thought  their  present  mode 
of  living  to  be  justifiable,  for  others  are  still  struck  with 
its  impropriety;  and  what  others  now  feel,  doubtless 
they  once  felt  themselves.  But  such  is  the  force  of 
habit.  So  again,  to  take  as  a  third  instance,  the  duty 
of  stated  private  prayer ;  at  first  it  is  omitted  with  com- 
punction, but  soon  with  indifference.  But  it  is  not  the 
less  a  sin  because  we  do  not  feel  it  to  be  such.  Habit 
has  made  it  a  secret  sin. 

5.  To  the  force  of  habit  must  be  added  that  of  custom. 
Every  age  has  its  own  wrong  ways ;  and  these  have  such 
influence,  that  even  good  men,  from  living  in  the  world, 
are  unconsciously  misled  by  them.  At  one  time  a  fierce 
persecuting  hatred  of  those  who  erred  in  Christian  doc- 
trine has  prevailed ;  at  another,  an  odious  over-estimation 
of  wealth  and  the  means  of  wealth ;  at  another  an  irre- 
ligious veneration  of  the  mere  intellectual  powers;  at 
another,  a  laxity  of  morals ;  at  another,  disregard  of  the  • 


Secret  Faults.  53 

forms  and  discipline  of  the  Church.  The  most  religious 
meUj  unless  they  are  especially  watchful,  will  feel  the 
sway  of  the  fashion  of  their  age ;  and  suffer  from  it,  as 
Lot  in  wicked  Sodom,  though  unconsciously.  Yet  their 
ignorance  of  the  mischief  does  not  change  the  nature 
of  their  sin  ; — sin  it  still  is,  only  custom  makes  it  secret 
sin. 

6.  Now  what  is  our  chief  guide  amid  the  evil  and 
seducing  customs  of  the  world  ? — obviously,  the  Bible. 
"The  world  passeth  away,  but  the  word  of  the  Lord 
endureth  for  ever'.^'  How  much  extended,  then,  and 
strengthened,  necessarily  must  be  this  seci'et  dominion 
of  sin  over  us,  when  we  consider  how  little  we  read 
Scripture  !  Our  conscience  gets  corrupted, — true ;  but 
the  words  of  truth,  though  effaced  from  our  minds, 
remain  in  Scripture,  bright  in  their  eternal  youth  and 
purity.  Yet,  we  do  not  study  Scripture  to  stir  up  and 
refresh  our  minds.  Ask  yourselves,  my  brethren,  what  do 
you  know  of  the  Bible  ?  Is  there  any  one  part  of  it  you 
have  read  carefully,  and  as  a  whole?  One  of  the 
Gospels,  for  instance  ?  Do  you  know  very  much  more 
of  your  Saviour's  works  and  words  than  you  have  heard 
read  in  church  ?  Have  you  compared  His  precepts,  or 
St.  Paurs,  or  any  other  Apostle's,  with  your  own  dailv 
conduct,  and  prayed  and  endeavoured  to  act  upon  them  ? 
If  you  have,  so  far  is  well;  go  on  to  do  so.  If  you  have 
not,  it  is  plain  you  do  not  possess,  for  you  have  not  sought 
to  possess,  an  adequate  notion  of  that  perfect  Christian 
character  which  it  is  your  duty  to  aim  at,  nor  an  ade- 

>  Isa.  xl.  8.     1  Pet.  i.  24,  25.    1  John  ii.  17. 


54  Secret  Faults. 

quate  notion  of  your  actual  sinful  state ;  you  are  in 
the  number  of  those  who  "  come  not  to  the  light,  lest 
their  deeds  should  be  reproved." 

These  remarks  may  serve  to  impress  upon  us  the  diffi- 
culty of  knowing  ourselves  aright,  and  the  consequent 
danger  to  which  we  are  exposed,  of  speaking  peace  to 
our  souls,  when  there  is  no  peace. 

Many  things  are  against  us ;  this  is  plain.  Yet  is 
not  our  future  prize  worth  a  struggle  ?  Is  it  not  worth 
present  discomfort  and  pain  to  accomplish  an  escape 
from  the  fire  that  never  shall  be  quenched  ?  Can  we 
endure  the  thought  of  going  down  to  the  grave  with  a 
load  of  sins  on  our  head  unknown  and  unrepented  of  ? 
Can  we  content  ourselves  with  such  an  unreal  faith 
in  Christ,  as  in  no  sufiicient  measure  includes  self- 
abasement,  or  thankfulness,  or  the  desire  or  efibrt  to 
be  holy?  for  how  can  we  feel  our  need  of  His  help, 
or  our  dependence  on  Him,  or  our  debt  to  Him,  or  the 
nature  of  His  gift  to  us,  unless  we  know  ourselves? 
How  can  we  in  any  sense  be  said  to  have  that  *'  mind 
of  Christ,'^  to  which  the  Apostle  exhorts  us,  if  we 
cannot  follow  Him  to  the  height  above,  or  the  depth 
beneath ;  if  we  do  not  in  some  measure  discern  the  cause 
and  meaning  of  His  sorrows,  but  regard  the  world,  and 
man,  and  the  system  of  Pro\adence,  in  a  light  different 
from  that  which  His  words  and  acts  supply  ?  If  you 
receive  revealed  truth  merely  through  the  eyes  and  ears, 
you  believe  words,  not  things ;  you  deceive  yourselves. 
You  may  conceive  yourselves  sound  in  faith,  but  you 
know  nothing  in  any  true  way.     Obedience  to  God^s 


Secret  Faults.  55 

commandments^  whicli  implies  knowledg-e  of  sin  and  of 
holiness^  and  the  desire  and  endeavour  to  please  Him, 
this  is  the  only  practical  interpreter  of  Scripture  doc- 
trine. Without  self-knowledge  you  have  no  root  ill 
yourselves  personally ;  you  may  endure  for  a  time,  but 
under  aflBiction  or  persecution  your  faith  will  not  last. 
This  is  why  many  in  this  age  (and  in  every  age)  be- 
come infidels,  heretics,  schismatics,  disloyal  despisers  of 
the  Church.  They  cast  off  the  form  of  truth,  because  it 
never  has  been  to  them  more  than  a  form.  They  endure 
not,  because  they  never  have  tasted  that  the  Lord  is 
gracious ;  and  they  never  have  had  experience  of  His 
power  and  love,  because  they  have  never  known  their 
own  weakness  and  need.  This  may  be  the  future  con- 
dition of  some  of  us,  if  we  harden  our  hearts  to-day, — 
apostasy.  Some  day,  even  in  this  world,  we  may  be 
found  openly  among  the  enemies  of  God  and  of  His 
Church. 

But,  even  should  we  be  spared  this  present  shame, 
what  will  it  ultimately  profit  a  man  to  profess  without 
understanding?  to  say  he  has  faith,  when  he  has  not 
works  1  ?  In  that  case  we  shall  remain  in  the  heavenly 
vineyard,  stunted  plants,  without  the  principle  of  growth 
in  us,  barren;  and,  in  the  end,  we  shall  be  put  to 
shame  before  Christ  and  the  holy  Angels,  "  as  trees 
of  withering  fruits,  twice  dead,  plucked  up  by  the  roots," 
even  though  we  die  in  outward  communion  with  the 
Church. 

To  think  of  these  things,  and  to  be  alarmed,  is  the 

^  James  ii.  14. 


56  Secret  Faults. 

first  step  towards  acceptable  obedience ;  to  be  at  ease,  is 
to  be  unsafe.  We  must  know  what  the  evil  of  sin  is 
hereafter,  if  we  do  not  learn  it  here.  God  give  us  all  grace 
to  choose  the  pain  of  present  repentance  before  the 
wrath  to  come ' 


SERMOIV    V. 
feelt--3Denial  tl)e  'QDe^t  ot  Eelifffou^  (Eanieotne^fo. 

"  iV^a/  it  is  high  time  to  awake  out  of  sleep." — Rom.  xiii.  1 1. 

T)Y  ''  sleep/^  in  this  passage,  St.  Paul  means  a  state  of 
-■-'  insensibility  to  things  as  they  really  are  in  God's 
sight.  When  we  are  asleep,  we  are  absent  from  this 
world's  action,  as  if  we  were  no  longer  concerned  in  it. 
It  goes  on  without  us,  or,  if  our  rest  be  broken,  and  we 
have  some  slight  notion  of  people  and  occurrences  about 
us,  if  we  hear  a  voice  or  a  sentence,  and  see  a  face,  yet 
we  are  unable  to  catch  these  external  objects  justly  and 
truly ;  we  make  them  part  of  our  dreams,  and  pervert 
them  till  they  have  scarcely  a  resemblance  to  what  they 
really  are;  and  such  is  the  state  of  men  as  regards 
religious  truth.  God  is  ever  Almighty  and  All-knowing. 
He  is  on  His  throne  in  heaven,  trying  the  reins  and  the 
hearts;  and  Jesus  Christ,  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  is  on 
His  right  hand;  and  ten  thousand  Angels  and  Saints 
are  ministering  to  Him,  rapt  in  the  contemplation  of 
Him,  or  by  their  errands  of  mercy  connecting  this  lower 
world  with  His  courts  above;  they  go  to  and  fro,  as 
though  upon  the   ladder  which   Jacob  saw     And  the 


58  Self- Denial  the  Test  of 

disclosure  of  this  glorious  iuvisible  world  is  made  to  ua 
principally  by  means  of  the  Bible,  partly  by  the  course 
of  nature,  partly  by  the  floating-  opinions  of  mank'ndj 
partly  by  the  sug-g-estions  of  the  heart  and  conscience  :  — 
and  all  these  means  of  information  concerning  it  are 
collected  and  combined  by  the  Holy  Church,  which 
heralds  the  news  forth  to  the  whole  earth,  and  applies  it 
with  power  to  individual  minds,  partly  by  direct  in- 
struction, partly  by  her  very  form  and  fashion,  which 
witnesses  to  them ;  so  that  the  truths  of  religion  circulate 
through  the  world  almost  as  the  light  of  day,  every 
corner  and  recess  having  some  portion  of  its  blessed 
rays.  Such  is  the  state  of  a  Christian  country.  Mean- 
while, how  is  it  with  those  who  dwell  in  it  ?  The  words 
of  the  text  remind  us  of  their  condition.  They  are 
asleep.  While  the  Ministers  of  Christ  are  using  the 
armour  of  light,  and  all  things  speak  of  Him,  they 
'  walk  '^  not  "  becomingly,  as  in  the  day.'^  Many  live 
altogether  as  though  the  day  shone  not  on  them,  but 
the  shadows  still  endured;  and  far  the  greater  part  of 
them  are  but  very  faintly  sensible  of  the  great  truths 
preached  around  them.  They  see  and  hear  as  people  in 
a  dream ;  they  mix  up  the  Holy  Word  of  God  with 
their  own  idle  imaginings  ;  if  startled  for  a  moment,  still 
they  soon  relapse  into  slumber ;  they  refuse  to  be 
awakened,  and  think  their  happiness  consists  in  con- 
tinuing as  they  are. 

Now  I  do  not  for  an  instant  suspect,  my  brethren, 
that  you  are  in  the  sound  slumber  of  sin.  This  is  a 
miserable  state,  which  I  should  hope  was,  on  the  whole, 
the  condition  of  few  men,  at  least  in  a  place  like  this. 


Religious  Earnestness.  59 

But,  allowing  this,  yet  there  is  great  reason  for  fearing 
that  very  many  of  you  are  not  wide  awake :  that  though 
your  dreams  are  disturbed,  yet  dreams  they  are ;  and 
that  the  view  of  religion  which  you  think  to  be  a  true 
one,  is  not  that  vision  of  the  Truth  which  you  would  see 
were  your  eyes  open,  but  such  a  vague,  defective, 
extravagant  picture  of  it  as  a  man  sees  when  he  is 
asleep.  At  all  events^  however  this  may  be_,  it  will  be 
useful  (please  God)  if  you  ask  youselves,  one  by  one,  the 
question,  "  How  do  I  know  I  am  in  the  right  way  ?  How 
do  I  know  that  I  have  real  faith,  and  am  not  in  a 
dream  V 

The  circumstances  of  these  times  render  it  very  diffi- 
cult to  answer  this  question.  Wlien  the  world  was 
against  Christianity  it  was  comparatively  easy.  But  (in 
one  sense)  the  world  is  now  for  it.  I  do  not  mean 
there  are  not  turbulent  lawless  men,  who  would  bring 
all  things  into  confusion,  if  they  could  ;  who  hate 
religion,  and  would  overturn  every  established  institu- 
tion which  proceeds  from,  or  is  connected  with  it. 
Doubtless  there  are  very  many  such,  but  from  such  men 
religion  has  nothing  to  fear.  The  truth  has  ever 
flourished  and  strengthened  under  persecution.  But 
what  we  have  to  fear  is  the  opposite  fact,  that  all  the 
rank,  and  the  station,  and  the  intelligence,  and  the 
opulence  of  the  country  is  professedly  with  religion. 
We  have  cause  to  fear  from  the  very  circumstance  that 
the  institutions  of  the  country  are  based  upon  the 
acknowledgment  of  religion  as  true.  Worthy  of  all 
honour  are  they  who  so  based  them !  Miserable  is  the 
guilt  which  lies  upon  those  who  have  attempted,  and 


6o  Self-denial  the  Test  of 

partly  succeeded,  in  shaking-  that  holy  foundation  !  Bui 
it  often  happens  that  our  most  bitter  are  not  our  most 
dangerous  enemies ;  on  the  othei  hand,  greatest  blessings 
are  the  most  serious  temptations  to  the  unwary.  And 
our  danger,  at  present,  is  this,  that  a  man's  having  a 
general  character  for  religion,  reverencing  the  Gospel 
and  professing  it,  and  to  a  certain  point  obeying  it,  so 
fully  promotes  his  temporal  interests,  that  it  is  difficult 
for  him  to  make  out  for  himself  whether  he  really  acts 
on  faith,  or  from  a  desire  of  this  world's  advantages.  It 
is  difficult  to  find  tests  which  may  bring  home  the  truth 
to  his  mind,  and  probe  his  heart  after  the  manner  of 
Him  who,  from  His  throne  above,  tries  it  with  an 
Almighty  Wisdom.  It  can  scarcely  be  denied  that 
attention  to  their  religious  duties  is  becoming  a  fashion 
among  large  portions  of  the  community, — so  large,  that, 
to  many  individuals,  these  portions  are  in  fact  the  world. 
We  are,  every  now  and  then,  surprised  to  find  persons  to 
be  in  the  observance  of  family  prayer,  of  reading  Scrip- 
ture, or  of  Holy  Communion,  of  whom  we  should  not 
have  expected  beforehand  such  a  profession  of  faith  j  or 
we  hear  them  avowing  the  high  evangelical  truths  of 
the  New  Testament,  and  countenancing  those  who  main- 
tain them.  All  this  brings  it  about,  that  it  is  our 
interest  in  this  world  to  profess  to  be  Christ's  dis- 
ciples. 

And  further  than  this,  it  is  necessary  to  remark,  that, 
in  spite  of  this  general  profession  of  zeal  for  the  Gospel 
among  all  respectable  persons  at  this  day,  nevertheless 
there  is  reason  for  fearing,  that  it  is  not  altogether  the 
real  Gospel  that  they  are   zealous   for.     Doubtless  we 


Religious  Earnestness.  6i 

have  cause  to  be  thankful  whenever  we  see  persons 
earnest  in  the  various  ways  I  have  mentioned.  Yet, 
somehow,  after  all,  there  is  reason  for  being  dissatisfied 
with  the  character  of  the  religion  of  the  day;  dissatisfied, 
first,  because  oftentimes  these  same  persons  are  very 
inconsistent; — often,  for  instance,  talk  irreverently  and 
profanely,  ridicule  or  slight  things  sacred,  speak  against 
the  Holy  Church,  or  against  the  blessed  Saints  of  early 
times,  or  even  against  the  favoured  servants  of  God,  set 
before  us  in  Scripture ;  or  act  with  the  world  and  the 
worse  sort  of  men,  even  when  they  do  not  speak  like 
them ;  attend  to  them  more  than  to  the  Ministers  of 
God,  or  are  very  lukewarm,  lax,  and  unscrupulous  in 
matters  of  conduct,  so  much  so,  that  they  seem  hardly 
to  go  by  principle,  but  by  what  is  merely  expedient  and 
convenient.  And  then  again,  putting  aside  our  judgment 
of  these  men  as  individuals,  and  thinking  of  them  as 
well  as  we  can  (which  of  course  it  is  our  duty  to  do), 
yet,  after  all,  taking  merely  the  multitude  of  them  as  a 
symptom  of  a  state  of  things,  I  own  I  am  suspicious  of 
any  religion  that  is  a  people's  religion,  or  an  age's  re- 
ligion. Our  Saviour  says, ''  Narrow  is  the  way.''  This, 
of  course,  must  not  be  interpreted  without  great  caution ; 
yet  surely  the  whole  tenor  of  the  Inspired  Volume  leads 
us  to  believe  that  His  Truth  will  not  be  heartily  received 
by  the  many,  that  it  is  against  the  current  of  human 
feeling  and  opinion,  and  the  course  of  the  world,  and  so 
far  forth  as  it  is  received  by  a  man,  will  be  opposed  by 
himself,  i.e.  by  his  old  nature  which  remains  about  him, 
next  by  all  others,  so  far  forth  as  they  have  not  received 
it.     "The   light  shining  in  darkness"  is  the   token  of 


62  Self-denial  the  Test  of 

true  religion ;  and,  though  doubtless  there  are  seasons 
when  a  sudden  enthusiasm  arises  in  favour  of  the  Truth 
(as  in  the  history  of  St.  Jolin  the  Baptist,  in  whose  "  light" 
the  Jews  "  were  willing  for  a  season  to  rejoice  \ "  so 
as  even  "to  be  baptized  of  him,  confessing  their  sins"'), 
yet  such  a  popularity  of  the  Truth  is  but  sudden,  comes 
at  once  and  goes  at  once,  has  no  regular  growth,  no 
abiding  stay.  It  is  error  alone  which  grows  and  is 
received  heartily  on  a  large  scale.  St.  Paul  has  set  up 
his  warning  against  our  supposing  Truth  will  ever  be 
heartily  accepted,  whatever  show  there  may  be  of  a 
general  profession  of  it,  in  his  last  Epistle,  where  he  tells 
Timothy,  among  other  sad  prophecies,  that  '^  evil  men 
and  seducers  shall  wax  worse  and  worse  ^."  Truth, 
indeed,  has  that  power  in  it,  that  it  forces  men  to  pro- 
fess it  in  words ;  but  when  they  go  on  to  act,  instead  of 
obeying  it,  they  substitute  some  idol  in  the  place  of  it. 
On  these  accovmts,  when  there  is  much  talk  of  religion 
in  a  country,  and  much  congratulation  that  there  is  a 
general  concern  for  it,  a  cautious  mind  will  feel  anxious 
lest  some  counterfeit  be,  in  fact,  honoured  instead  of  it : 
lest  it  be  the  dream  of  man  rather  than  the  verities  of 
God's  word,  which  has  become  popular,  and  lest  the 
received  form  have  no  more  of  truth  in  it  than  is  just 
necessary  to  recommend  it  to  the  reason  and  conscience ; 
— lest,  in  short,  it  be  Satan  transformed  into  an  angel 
of  light,  rather  than  the  Light  itself,  which  is  attracting 
followers. 

If,  then,  this  be  a  time  (which  I  suppose  it  is)  when 
a  general  profession  of  religion  is  thought  respectable 
1  John  V.  36.  "  Matt.  iii.  6.  ^  2  Tim.  iiL  13. 


Religious  Earnestness  63 

and  right  in  the  virtuous  and  orderly  classes  of  the 
community,  this  circumstance  should  not  diminish  your 
anxiety  about  your  own  state  before  God,  but  rather  (I 
may  say)  increase  it ;  for  two  reasons,  first,  because  you 
are  in  danger  of  doing  right  from  motives  of  this  world; 
next,  because  you  may,  perchance,  be  cheated  of  the 
Truth,  by  some  ingenuity  which  the  world  puts,  like 
counterfeit  coin,  in  the  place  ef  the  Truth. 

Some,  indeed,  of  those  who  now  hear  me,  are  in 
situations  where  they  are  almost  shielded  from  the 
world's  influence,  whatever  it  is.  There  are  persons 
so  happily  placed  as  to  have  religious  superiors,  who 
direct  them  to  what  is  good  only,  and  who  are  kind 
to  them,  as  well  as  pious  towards  God.  This  is  their 
happiness,  and  they  must  thank  God  for  the  gift ;  but  it 
is  their  temptation  too.  At  least  they  are  under  one  of 
the  two  temptations  just  mentioned ;  good  behaviour  is, 
in  their  case,  not  only  a  matter  of  duty,  but  of  interest. 
If  they  obey  God,  they  gain  praise  from  men  as  well  as 
from  Him ;  so  that  it  is  very  difficult  for  them  to  know 
whether  they  do  right  for  conscience'  sake,  or  for  the 
world's  sake.  Thus,  whether  in  private  families,  or  in 
the  world,  in  all  the  ranks  of  middle  life,  men  lie  under 
a  considerable  danger  at  this  day,  a  more  than  ordinary 
danger,  of  self-deception,  of  being  asleep  while  they 
think  themselves  awake. 

How  then  shall  we  try  ourselves  ?  Can  any  tests  be 
named  which  will  bring  certainty  to  our  minds  on  the 
subject?  No  indisputable  tests  can  be  given.  We 
cannot  know  for  certain.  We  must  beware  of  an  impa- 
tience about  knowing  what  our  real  state  is.     St.  Paul 


64  Self-denial  the  Test  of 

himself  did  not  know  till  the  last  days  of  his  life  (as 
far  as  we  know),  that  he  was  one  of  God's  elect  who 
shall  never  perish.  He  said,  "  I  know  nothing  by  my- 
self, yet  am  I  not  hereby  justified  ^ ;"  i.  e.  though  I  am 
not  conscious  to  myself  of  neglect  of  duty,  yet  am  I  not 
therefore  confident  of  my  acceptance  ?  Judge  nothing 
before  the  time.  Accordingly  he  says  in  another  place, 
"  I  keep  under  my  body,  and  bring  it  into  subjection, 
lest  that  by  any  means,  when  I  have  preached  to  others, 
I  myself  should  be  a  castaway^."  And  yet  though  this 
absolute  certainty  of  our  election  unto  glory  be  unattain- 
able, and  the  desire  to  obtain  it  an  impatience  which  ill 
befits  sinners,  nevertheless  a  comfortable  hope,  a  sober 
and  subdued  belief  that  God  has  pardoned  and  justified 
us  for  Christ's  sake  (blessed  be  His  name  !),  is  attainable, 
according  to  St.  John's  words,  "  If  our  heart  condemn  us 
not,  then  have  we  confidence  toward  God^"  And  the 
question  is,  how  are  we  to  attain  to  this,  under  the  cir- 
cumstances in  which  we  are  placed  ?  In  what  does  it 
consist  ? 

Were  we  in  a  heathen  land  (as  I  said  just  now)  it 
were  easy  to  answer.  The  very  profession  of  the  Gospel 
would  almost  bring  evidence  of  ti"ue  faitli,  as  far  as  we 
could  have  evidence ;  for  such  profession  among  Pagans 
is  almost  sure  to  involve  persecution.  Hence  it  is  that 
the  Epistles  are  so  full  of  expressions  of  joy  in  the  Lord 
Jesus,  and  in  the  exulting  hope  of  salvation.  Well 
might  they  be  confident  who  had  suffered  for  Christ 
"  Tribulation  worketh  patience,  and  patience  experience 

1 1  Cor.  iv.  4.  »  1  Cor.  ix   27.  '1  John  iii.  21. 


Religious  Earnestness.  65 

and  experience  hope  '^"  "  Henceforth  let  no  man  trouble 
me,  for  I  bear  in  my  body  the  marks  of  the  Lord  Jesus  ^." 
"  Always  bearing  about  in  the  body  the  dying  of  the 
Lord  Jesus ;  that  the  life  also  of  Jesus  might  be  made 
manifest  in  our  body  ^."  "  Our  hope  of  you  is  stedfast 
knowing  that  as  ye  are  partakers  of  the  suffering,  S6 
shall  ye  be  also  of  the  consolation  */'  These  and  such 
like  texts  belong  to  those  only  who  have  witnessed  for 
the  truth  like  the  early  Christians.  They  are  beyond 
us. 

This  is  certain ;  yet  since  the  nature  of  Christian  obe- 
dience is  the  same  in  every  age,  it  still  brings  with  it,  as 
it  did  then,  an  evidence  of  God^s  favour.  We  cannot 
indeed  make  ourselves  as  sure  of  our  being  in  the  number 
of  God's  true  servants  as  the  early  Christians  were,  yet 
we  may  possess  our  degree  of  certainty,  and  by  the  same 
kind  of  evidence,  the  evidence  of  self-denial.  This  was 
the  great  evidence  which  the  first  disciples  gave,  and 
which  we  can  give  still.  Reflect  upon  our  Saviour's 
plain  declarations,  "  Whosoever  will  come  after  Me,  let 
him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross  and  follow  Me  ^.'> 
"  K  any  man  come  to  Me,  and  hate  not  his  father  and 
mother,  and  wife,  and  children,  and  brethren,  and  sisters, 
yea,  and  his  own  life  also,  he  cannot  be  My  disciple. 
And  whosoever  doth  not  bear  his  cross  and  come  after 
Me,  he  cannot  be  My  disciple  *."  "  If  thy  hand  offend 
thee,  cut  it  off  .  .  .  if  thy  foot  offend  thee,  cut  it  off .  .  . 
if  thine  eye  offend  thee,  pluck  it  out :  ...  it  is  better  for 

»  Rom.  V.  3,  4.  *  Gal.  vi.  17. 

3  2  Cor.  iv.  10.  «  2  Cor.  i.  7. 

»  Mark  viii.  34.  «  Luke  xiv.  26,  27. 
[I] 


66  Self-denial  l/ie  Test  of 

thee  to  enter  into  life  maimed  .  .  .  halt  .  .  .  with  one  eye 
than  to  be  cast  into  hell '/' 

Now  without  attempting  to  explain  perfectly  such 
passages  as  these,  which  doubtless  cannot  be  understood 
without  a  fulness  of  grace  which  is  possessed  by  very 
few  men,  yet  at  least  we  learn  thus  much  from  them, 
that  a  rigorous  self-denial  is  a  chief  duty,  nay,  that  it 
may  be  considered  the  test  whether  we  are  Christ's  disci- 
ples, whether  we  are  living  in  a  mere  dream,  which  we 
mistake  for  Christian  faith  and  obedience,  or  are  really 
and  truly  awake,  alive,  living  in  the  day,  on  our  road 
heavenwards.  The  early  Christians  went  through  self- 
denials  in  their  very  profession  of  the  Gospel ;  what  are 
our  self-denials,  now  that  the  profession  of  the  Gospel  ia 
not  a  self-denial  ?  In  what  sense  do  we  fulfil  the  words 
of  Christ  ?  have  we  any  distinct  notion  what  is  meant 
by  the  words  "  taking  up  our  cross  ?''  in  what  way  are 
we  acting,  in  which  we  should  not  act,  supposing  the 
Bible  and  the  Church  were  unknown  to  this  country, 
and  religion,  as  existing  among  us,  was  merely  a  fashion 
of  this  world?  What  are  we  doing,  which  we  have 
reason  to  trust  is  done  for  Christ's  sake  who  bought  us  ? 

You  know  well  enough  that  works  are  said  to  be  the 
fruits  and  evidence  of  faith.  That  faith  is  said  to  be 
dead  which  has  them  not.  Now  what  works  have  we  to 
show  of  such  a  kind  as  to  give  us  "  confidence,'"  so  that 
we  may  "not  be  ashamed  before  Him  at  His  coming ''P'' 

In  answering  this  question  I  observe,  first  of  all,  that, 
according  to  Scripture,  the  self-denial  which  is  the  test 

'  Mark  ix.  43—47.  •  1  John  ii.  28. 


Religious  Earnestness.  67 

of  our  faith  must  be  daily.  "  If  any  man  will  come  after 
Me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross  daily, 
and  follow  Me  ^."  It  is  thus  St.  Luke  records  our  Sa- 
viour^s  words.  Accordingly,  it  seems  that  Christian 
obedience  does  not  consist  merely  in  a  few  occasional 
efforts,  a  few  accidental  g-ood  deeds,  or  certain  seasons  of 
repentance,  prayer,  and  activity ;  a  mistake,  which  minds 
of  a  certain  class  are  very  apt  to  fall  into.  This  is  the 
kind  of  obedience  which  constitutes  what  the  world  calls 
a  great  man,  i.  e.  a  man  who  has  some  noble  points,  and 
every  now  and  then  acts  heroically,  so  as  to  astonish 
and  subdue  the  minds  of  beholders,  but  who  in  private 
life  has  no  abiding  personal  religion,  who  does  not  regu- 
late his  thoughts,  words,  and  deeds,  according  to  the  law 
of  God.  Again,  the  word  daily  implies,  that  the  self- 
denial  which  is  pleasing  to  Christ  consists  in  little 
things.  This  is  plain,  for  opportunity  for  great  self- 
denials  does  not  come  every  day.  Thus  to  take  up  the 
cross  of  Christ  is  no  great  action  done  once  for  all, 
it  consists  in  the  continual  practice  of  small  duties  which 
are  distasteful  to  us. 

If,  then,  a  person  asks  how  he  is  to  know  whether  he  is 
dreaming  on  in  the  world's  slumber,  or  is  reaUy  awake 
and  alive  unto  God,  let  him  first  fix  his  mind  upon  some 
one  or  other  of  his  besetting  infirmities.  Every  one  who 
is  at  all  in  the  habit  of  examining  himself,  must  be  con- 
scious of  such  within  him.  Many  men  have  more  than 
one,  all  of  us  have  some  one  or  other ;  and  in  resisting 
and  overcoming  such,  self-denial  has  its  first  employ- 
ment,    One   man  is  indolent  and  fond  of  amusement, 

'  Luke  ix.  23. 


68  Self-denial  tJie  Test  of 

another  man  is  passionate  or  ill-tempered,  another  is 
vain,  another  has  little  control  over  his  tongue ;  others 
are  weak,  and  cannot  resist  the  ridicule  of  thought- 
less companions;  others  are  tormented  with  had  pas- 
sions, of  which  they  are  ashamed,  yet  are  overcome. 
Now  let  every  one  consider  what  his  weak  point  is; 
in  that  is  his  trial.  His  trial  is  not  in  those  things 
which  are  easy  to  him,  but  in  that  one  thing,  in  those 
several  things,  whatever  they  are,  in  which  to  do  his 
duty  is  against  his  nature.  Never  think  yourself  safe 
because  you  do  your  duty  in  ninety-nine  points ;  it  is 
the  hundredth  which  is  to  be  the  ground  of  your  self- 
denial,  which  must  evidence,  or  rather  instance  and 
realize  your  faith.  It  is  in  reference  to  this  you  must 
watch  and  pray;  pray  continually  for  God's  grace  to 
help  you,  and  watch  with  fear  and  trembling  lest  you 
fall.  Other  men  may  not  know  what  these  weak  points 
of  your  character  are,  they  may  mistake  them.  But  you 
may  know  them  ;  you  may  know  them  by  their  guesses 
and  hints,  and  your  own  observation,  and  the  light  of 
the  Spirit  of  God.  And  oh,  that  you  may  have  strength 
to  wrestle  with  them  and  overcome  them  !  Oh,  that  you 
may  have  the  wisdom  to  care  little  for  the  world's  reli- 
gion, or  the  praise  you  get  from  the  world,  and  your 
agreement  with  what  clever  men,  or  powerful  men,  or 
many  men,  make  the  standard  of  religion,  compared 
with  the  secret  consciousness  that  you  are  obeying  God 
in  little  things  as  well  as  great,  in  the  hundredth  duty 
as  well  as  in  the  ninety-nine  !  Oh,  that  you  may  (as  it 
were)  sweep  the  house  diligently  to  discover  what  you 
lack  of  \}a&fu,lL  measure  of  obedience !  for  be  quite  sure, 


Religious  Earnestness.  69 

that  this  apparently  small  defect  will  influence  your 
whole  spirit  and  judgment  in  all  things.  Be  quite  sure 
that  your  judgment  of  persons,  and  of  events,  and  of 
actions,  and  of  doctrines,  and  your  spirit  towards  God 
and  man,  your  faith  in  tlie  high  truths  of  the  Gospel, 
and  your  knowledge  of  your  duty,  all  depend  in  a  strange 
way  on  this  strict  endeavour  to  observe  the  v/hole  law, 
on  this  self-denial  in  those  little  things  in  which  obe- 
dience is  a  self-denial.  Be  not  content  with  a  warmth 
of  faith  carrying  you  over  many  obstacles  even  in  your 
obedience,  forcing  you  past  the  fear  of  men,  and  the 
usages  of  society,  and  the  persuasions  of  interest ;  exult 
not  in  your  experience  of  God''s  past  mercies,  and  your 
assui-ance  of  what  He  has  already  done  for  your  soul,  if  you 
are  conscious  you  have  neglected  the  one  thing  needful, 
the  "one  thing^^  which  "thou  lackest,^^ — daily  self-denial. 
But,  besides  this,  there  are  other  modes  of  self-denial 
to  try  your  faith  and  sincerity,  which  it  may  be  right 
just  to  mention.  It  may  so  happen  that  the  sin  you  are 
most  liable  to,  is  not  called  forth  every  day.  For  in- 
stance :  anger  and  passion  are  irresistible  perhaps  when 
they  come  upon  you,  but  it  is  only  at  times  that  you  are 
provoked,  and  then  you  are  off  your  guard ;  so  that  the 
occasion  is  over,  and  you  have  failed,  before  you  were 
well  aware  of  its  coming.  It  is  right  then  almost  to 
jind  out  for  yourself  daily  self-denials ;  and  this  because 
our  Lord  bids  you  take  up  your  cross  daily,  and  because 
it  proves  your  earnestness,  and  because  by  doing  so  you 
strengthen  your  general  power  of  self-mastery,  and  come 
to  have  such  an  habitual  command  of  yourself,  as  will 
be  a  defence  ready  prepared  rt^hen  the  season  of  tempta- 


yo  Self-denial  the  Test  of 

tion  comes.  Rise  up  then  in  the  morning  with  the  pur- 
pose that  (please  God)  tlie  day  shall  not  pass  without  ita 
self-denial,  with  a  self-denial  in  innocent  pleasures  and 
tastes,  if  none  occurs  to  mortify  sin.  Let  your  very 
risings  from  your  bed  be  a  self-denial ;  let  your  meals  be 
self-denials.  Determine  to  yield  to  others  in  things 
indifferent,  to  go  out  of  your  way  in  small  matters,  to 
inconvenience  yourself  (so  that  no  direct  duty  suffers  by 
it),  rather  than  you  should  not  meet  with  your  daily 
discipline.  This  was  the  Psalmist^s  method,  who  was, 
as  it  were,  '' punished  all  day  long,  and  chastened  every 
morning  .'^'  It  was  St.  PauPs  method,  who  "  kept 
under,''''  or  bruised  "  his  body,  and  brought  it  into  sub- 
jection ?"  This  is  one  great  end  of  fasting.  A  man 
says  to  himself,  "  How  am  I  to  know  I  am  in  earnest  ?*' 
I  would  suggest  to  him,  Make  some  sacrifice,  do  some 
distasteful  thing,  which  you  are  not  actually  obliged  to 
do,  (so  that  it  be  lawful,)  to  bring  home  to  your  mind 
that  in  fact  you  do  love  your  Saviour,  that  you  do  hate 
sin,  that  you  do  hate  your  sinful  nature,  that  you  have 
put  aside  the  present  world.  Thus  you  will  have  an 
evidence  (to  a  certain  point)  that  you  are  not  using  mere 
words.  It  is  easy  to  make  professions,  easy  to  say  fine 
things  in  speech  or  in  writing,  easy  to  astonish  men  with 
truths  which  they  do  not  know,  and  sentiments  which 
rise  above  human  nature.  "  But  thou,  O  servant  of  God, 
flee  these  things,  and  follow  after  righteousness,  godli- 
ness, faith,  love,  patience,  meekness.^'  Let  not  your 
words  run  on ;  force  every  one  of  them  into  action  as  it 
goes,  and  thus,  cleansing  yourself  from  all  pollution  of 
I  Psalm  lixiu.  14.  *  1  Cor.  ix.  27. 


Religious  Earnestness.  7 1 

the  flesh  and  spirit,  perfect  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God. 
In  dreams  we  sometimes  move  our  arms  to  see  if  we  are 
awake  or  not,  and  so  we  are  awakened.  This  is  the  way 
to  keep  your  heart  awake  also.  Try  yourself  daily  in 
little  deeds,  to  prove  that  your  faith  is  more  than  a 
deceit. 

I  am  aware  all  this  is  a  hard  doctrine ;  hard  to  those 
even  who  assent  to  it,  and  can  describe  it  most  accurately. 
There  are  such  imperfections,  such  inconsistencies  in. the 
heart  and  life  of  even  the  better  sort  of  men,  that  con- 
tinual repentance  must  ever  go  hand  in  hand  with  our 
endeavours  to  obey.  Much  we  need  the  grace  of  Christ's 
blood  to  wash  us  from  the  guilt  we  daily  incur ;  much 
need  we  the  aid  of  His  promised  Spirit !  And  surely  He 
will  grant  all  the  riches  of  His  mercy  to  His  true  ser- 
vants ;  but  as  surely  He  will  vouchsafe  to  none  of  us  the 
power  to  believe  in  Him,  and  the  blessedness  of  being 
one  with  Him,  who  are  not  as  earnest  in  obeying  Him 
as  if  salvation  depended  on  themselves. 


SERMON     VI. 
%\)t  ^picitual  a^iiiD. 

"  T7ie  kingdom  of  God  is  not  in  word,  but  in  power."- -l  CoR.  iv.  20. 

TJOW  are  we  the  better  for  being  members  of  the 
-^-*-  Christian  Church  ?  This  is  a  question  which  has 
ever  claims  on  our  attention ;  but  it  is  right  from  time 
to  time  to  examine  our  hearts  with  more  than  usual  care, 
to  try  them  by  the  standard  of  that  divinely  enlightened 
temper  in  the  Church,  and  in  the  Saints,  the  work  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  called  by  St.  Paul  "  the  spirit/^  I  ask 
then,  how  are  we  the  better  for  being  Christ's  disciples  ? 
what  reason  have  we  for  thinking  that  our  lives  are  very 
different  from  what  they  would  have  been  if  we  had 
been  heathens?  Have  we,  in  the  words  of  the  text, 
received  the  kingdom  of  God  in  word  or  in  power  ?  I 
will  make  some  remarks  in  explanation  of  this  question, 
which  may  (through  God's  grace)  assist  }'0U,  my  Brethren, 
in  answering  it. 

1.  Now  first,  if  we  would  form  a  just  notion  how  far 
we  are  influenced  by  the  power  of  the  Gospel,  we  must 
evidently  put  aside  every  thing  which  we  do  merely  in 
imitation   of  others,   and  not  from    religious   principle. 


Tlie  Spiritual  Mind.  73 

Not  that  we  can  actually  separate  our  good  words  and 
works  into  two  classes,  and  say,  what  is  done  from  faith, 
and  what  is  done  only  by  accident,  and  in  a  random 
way ;  but  without  being-  able  to  draw  the  line,  it  is  quite 
evident  that  so  very  much  of  our  apparent  obedience 
to  God  arises  from  mere  obedience  to  the  world  and  its 
fashions ;  or  rather,  that  it  is  so  difficult  to  say  what  is 
done  in  the  spirit  of  faith,  as  to  lead  us,  on  reflection, 
to  be  very  much  dissatisfied  with  ourselves,  and  quite 
out  of  conceit  with  our  past  lives.  Let  a  person  merely 
reflect  on  the  number  and  variety  of  bad  or  foolish 
thoughts  which  he  suflers,  and  dwells  on  in  private, 
which  he  would  be  ashamed  to  put  into  words,  and  he 
will  at  once  see,  how  very  poor  a  test  his  outward 
demeanour  in  life  is  of  his  real  holiness  in  the  sight 
of  God.  Or  again,  let  him  consider  the  number  of  times 
he  has  attended  public  worship  as  a  matter  of  course 
because  others  do,  and  without  seriousness  of  mind ;  or 
the  number  of  times  he  has  found  himself  unequal 
to  temptations  when  they  came,  which  beforehand  he 
and  others  made  light  of  in  conversation,  blaming  those 
perhaps  who  had  been  overcome  by  them,  and  he  must 
own  that  his  outward  conduct  shapes  itself  unconsciously 
by  the  manners  of  those  with  whom  he  lives,  being  acted 
upon  by  external  impulses,  apart  from  any  right  in- 
fluence proceeding  from  the  heart.  Now,  when  I  say 
this,  am  I  condemning  all  that  we  do  without  thinking 
expressly  of  the  duty  of  obedience  at  the  very  time  we 
are  doing  it  ?  Far  from  it ;  a  religious  man,  in  pro- 
portion as  obedience  becomes  more  and  more  easy  to 
him,  will  doubtless  do  his  duty  unconsciously.     It  will 


74  The  Spiritual  Mind. 

be  natural  to  him  to  obey,  and  therefore  he  will  do  it 
naturally,  i.  e.  without  effort  or  deliberation.     It  is  diffi- 
cult things  which  we  are  obliged  to  think  about  before 
doing  them.     When  we  have    mastered   our  hearts  in 
any  matter  (it  is  true)  we  no  more  think  of  the  duty 
while   we  obey,  than  we  think  how  to  walk  when  we 
walk,  or  by  what  rules  to  exercise  any  art  which  we  have 
thoroughly  acquired.     Separate  acts  of  faith  aid  us  only 
while  we  are  unstable.     As  we  get  strength,  but  one  ex- 
tended act  of  faith  (so  to  call  it)  influences  us  all  through 
the  day,  and  our  whole  day  is  but  one  act  of  obedience 
also.     Then  there  is  no  minute  distribution  of  our  faith 
among  our  particular  deeds.     Our  will  runs  parallel  to 
God's    will.     This    is    the   very   privilege  of  confirmed 
Christians  ;  and  it  is  comparatively  but  a  sordid  way  of 
serving  God,  to  be  thinking  when  we  do  a  deed,  "  if  I 
do  not  do  this,  I  shall  risk  my  salvation ;   or,  if  I  do  it, 
I    have    a   chance    of  being   saved ; " — comparatively   a 
grovelling    way,    for   it  is  the  best,  the  only   way  for 
sinners  such  as  we  are,  to  begin  to  serve  God  in.    Still  as 
we  grow  in  grace,  we  throw  away  childish  things ;  then 
we  are  able  to  stand  upright  like  grown  men,  without 
the  props  and  aids  which  our  infancy  required.     This  is 
the  noble  manner  of  serving  God,  to  do  good  without 
thinking  about  it,  without  any  calculation  or  reasoning, 
from  love  of  the  good,  and  hatred  of  the  evil; —though 
cautiously    and    with    prayer   and    watching,    yet    so 
generously,   that  if  we  were  suddenly    asked    why  we 
BO  act,  we  could  only  reply  "because  it  is  our  way,'' 
or  "  because  Christ  so  acted  /■"  so  spontaneously  as  not 
to  know  so  much  that  we  are  doing  right,  as  that  we 


The  spiritual  Mind.  75 

are  not  doing'  wrong";  I  mean,  with  more  of  instinctive 
fear  of  sinning,  than  of  minute  and  cai-eful  appreciation 
of  the  degrees  of  our  obedience.  Hence  it  is  that  the 
best  men  are  ever  the  most  humble ;  as  for  other  reasons, 
so  especially  because  they  are  accustomed  to  be  religious. 
They  surprise  others,  but  not  themselves ;  they  surprise 
others  at  their  very  calmness  and  freedom  from  thought 
about  themselves.  This  is  to  have  a  great  mind,  to  have 
within  us  that  "princely  heart  of  innocence  ^"  of  which 
David  speaks.  Common  men  see  God  at  a  distance ; 
in  their  attempts  to  be  religious  they  feebly  guide 
themselves  as  by  a  distant  light,  and  are  obliged  to 
calculate  and  search  about  for  the  path.  But  the  long 
practised  Christian,  who,  through  God^s  mercy,  has 
brought  God's  presence  near  to  him,  the  elect  of  God, 
in  whom  the  Blessed  Spirit  dwells,  he  does  not  look 
out  of  doors  for  the  traces  of  God ;  he  is  moved  by  God 
dwelling  in  him,  and  needs  not  but  act  on  instinct.  I 
do  not  say  there  is  any  man  altogether  such,  for  this  is 
an  angelic  life ;  but  it  is  the  state  of  mind  to  which 
vigorous  prayer  and  watching  tend. 

How  different  is  this  high  obedience  from  that  random 
unawares  way  of  doing  right,  which  to  so  many  men 
Beems  to  constitute  a  religious  life !  The  excellent 
obedience  I  have  been  describing  is  obedience  on  habit. 
Now  the  obedience  I  condemn  as  untrue,  may  be  called 
obedience  on  custom.  The  one  is  of  the  heart,  the  other 
of  the  lips;  the  one  is  in  power,  the  other  in  word; 
the  one  cannot  be  acquired  without  much  and  constant 
vigilance,  generally  not  without  much  pain  and  trouble ; 
^  Christian  Year,  Sixth  Sunday  after  Trinity. 


y6  T/ie  Spiritual  Mind. 

the  other  is  the  result  of  a  mere  passive  imitation  of 
those  whom  we  fall  in  with.  Why  need  I  describe  what 
every  man^s  experience  bears  witness  to?  Why  do 
children  learn  their  mother  tongue,  and  not  a  foreig-n 
language  ?  Do  they  think  about  it  ?  Are  they  better 
or  worse  for  acquiring  one  language  and  not  another  ? 
Their  character,  of  course,  is  just  what  it  would  have 
been  otherwise.  How  then  are  we  better  or  worse,  if 
we  have  but  in  the  same  passive  way  admitted  into  our 
minds  certain  religious  opinions ;  and  have  but  ac- 
customed ourselves  to  the  words  and  actions  of  the 
world  around  us  ?  Supposing  we  had  never  heard  of 
the  Gospel,  should  we  not  do  just  what  we  do,  even 
in  a  heathen  country,  were  the  manners  of  the  place, 
from  one  cause  or  another,  as  decent  and  outwardly 
religious?  This  is  the  question  we  have  to  ask  our- 
selves. And  if  we  are  conscious  to  ourselves  that  we 
are  not  greatly  concerned  about  the  question  itself,  and 
have  no  fears  worth  mentioning  of  being  in  the  wrong, 
and  no  anxiety  to  find  what  is  right,  is  it  not  evident 
that  we  are  living  to  the  world,  not  to  God,  and  that 
whatever  virtue  we  may  actually  have,  still  the  Gospel 
of  Christ  has  come  to  us  not  in  power,  but  in  word  only? 

I  have  now  suggested  one  subject  for  consideration 
concerning  our  reception  of  the  kingdom  of  God ;  viz. 
to  inquire  whether  we  have  received  it  more  than 
externally  ;  but, 

1.  I  will  go  on  to  affirm  that  we  may  have  received  it 
in  a  higher  sense  than  in  word  merely,  and  yet  in  no 
re^l  sense  in  power ;  in  other  words,  that  our  obedience 
may  be  in  some  sort  religious,  and  yet  hardly  deserve  the 


The  Spiritual  Mind.  77 

title  of  Christian.  This  may  be  at  first  sight  a  startling 
assertion.  It  may  seem  to  some  of  us  as  if  there  were 
no  diflFerenee  between  being  religious  and  being  Christian ; 
and  that  to  insist  on  a  difierence  is  to  perplex  people.  But 
listen  to  me.  Do  you  not  think  it  possible  for  men  to 
do  their  duty,  i.  e.  be  religious,  in  a  heathen  country  ? 
Doubtless  it  is.  St.  Peter  says,  that  in  every  nation  he 
that  feareth  God  and  worketh  righteousness  is  accepted 
with  Him  '.  Now  are  such  persons,  therefore,  Christians  ? 
Certainly  not.  It  would  seem,  then,  it  is  possible  to 
fear  God  and  work  righteousness,  yet  without  being 
Christians ;  for  (if  we  would  know  the  truth  of  it)  to  be 
a  Christian  is  to  do  this,  and  to  do  much  more  than  this. 
Here,  then,  is  a  fresh  subject  for  self-examination.  Is  it 
not  the  way  of  men  to  dwell  with  satisfaction  on  their 
good  deeds,  particularly  when,  for  some  reason  or  other, 
their  conscience  smites  them  ?  Or  when  they  are  led  to 
the  consideration  of  death,  then  they  begin  to  turn  in 
their  minds  how  they  shall  acquit  themselves  before  the 
judgment-seat.  And  then  it  is  they  feel  a  relief  in  being 
able  to  detect,  in  their  past  lives,  any  deeds  which  may 
be  regarded  in  any  sense  religious.  You  may  hear  some 
persons  comforting  themselves  that  they  never  harmed 
any  one ;  and  that  they  have  not  given  in  to  an  openly 
profligate  and  riotous  life.  Others  are  able  to  say  more  ; 
they  can  speak  of  their  honesty,  their  industry,  or  their 
general  conscientiousness.  We  will  say  they  have  taken 
good  care  of  their  families;  they  have  never  defrauded 
or  deceived  any  one ;  and  they  have  a  good  name  in  the 
world  ;   nay,  they  have  in  one  sense  lived  in  the  fear  of 

>  Acts  X.  3. 


78  The  Spiritual  Mind. 

God.  I  will  f^rant  them  this  and  more ;  yet  possibly 
they  are  not  altogether  Christians  in  their  obedience.  I 
will  grant  that  these  virtuous  and  religious  deeds  are 
really  fruits  of  faith,  not  external  merely,  done  without 
thought,  but  proceeding  from  the  heart.  I  will  grant 
they  are  really  praiseworthy,  and,  when  a  man  from 
want  of  opportunity  knows  no  more,  really  acceptable 
to  God ;  yet  they  determine  nothing  about  his  having 
received  the  Gospel  of  Christ  in  power.  Why  ?  for  the 
simple  reason  that  they  are  not  enough.  A  Christian's 
faith  and  obedience  is  huilt  on  all  this,  but  is  only  built 
on  it.  It  is  not  the  same  as  it.  To  be  Christians, 
surely  it  is  not  enough  to  be  that  which  we  are  enjoined 
to  be,  and  must  be,  even  without  Christ ;  not  enough  to 
be  no  better  than  good  heathens ;  not  enough  to  be,  in 
some  slight  measure,  just,  honest,  temperate,  and  re- 
ligious. We  must  indeed  be  just,  honest,  temperate,  and 
religious,  before  we  can  rise  to  Christian  graces,  and  to 
he  practised  in  justice  and  the  like  virtues  is  the  way, 
the  ordinary  way,  in  which  we  receive  the  fulness  of  the 
kingdom  of  God ;  and,  doubtless,  any  man  who  despises 
those  who  try  to  practise  them  (I  mean  conscientious 
men,  who  notwithstanding  have  not  yet  clearly  seen  and 
welcomed  the  Gospel  system) ,  and  slightingly  calls  them 
"  mere  moral  men  "  in  disparagement,  such  a  man  knows 
not  what  spirit  he  is  of,  and  had  best  take  heed  how  he 
speaks  against  the  workings  of  the  inscrutable  Spirit  of 
God.  I  am  not  wishing  to  frighten  these  imperfect 
Christians,  but  to  lead  them  on ;  to  open  their  minds  to 
the  greatness  of  the  work  before  them,  to  dissipate  the 
meagre  and  carnal  views  in  which  the  Gospel  has  come 


The  Spiritual  Mind.  79 

to  them,  to  warn  them  that  they  must  never  be  contented 
with  themselves,  or  stand  still  and  relax  their  efforts, 
but  must  go  on  unto  perfection ;  that  till  they  are  much 
more  than  they  are  at  present,  they  have  received  the 
king-dom  of  God  in  word,  not  in  power ;  that  they  are 
not  spiritual  men,  and  can  have  no  comfortable  sense  of 
Christ^s  presence  in  their  souls;  for  to  whom  much  is 
given,  of  him  is  much  required. 

What  is  it,  then,  that  they  lack  ?  I  will  read  several 
passages  of  Scripture  which  will  make  it  plain.  St. 
Paul  says,  "  If  any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new 
creature  :  old  things  are  passed  away ;  behold,  all  things 
are  become  new.^''  Again  :  "  The  life  which  I  now  live 
in  the  flesh,  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  who 
loved  me,  and  gave  Himself  for  me."  "The  love  of 
Christ  constraineth  us."  "  Put  on,  therefore,  as  the 
elect  of  God,  holy  and  beloved,  bowels  of  mercies,  kind- 
ness, humbleness  of  mind,  meekness,  longsuflPering,  for- 
bearing one  another,  and  forgiving  one  another,  if  any 
man  have  a  quarrel  against  any,  even  as  Christ  forgave 
you,  so  also  do  ye ;  and  above  all  these  things,  put  on 
charity,  which  is  the  bond  of  perfectness.  And  let  the 
peace  of  God  rule  in  your  hearts,  to  the  which  also  ye 
are  called  in  one  body,  and  be  ye  thankful.  Let  the 
word  of  Christ  dwell  in  you  richly  in  all  wisdom." 
"  God  hath  sent  forth  the  Spirit  of  His  Son  into  your 
hearts."  Lastly,  our  Saviour's  own  memorable  words, 
"  If  any  man  will  come  after  Me,  let  him  deny  himself, 
and  take  up  his  cross  daily  and  follow  Me  *."     Now  it  is 

'  2   Cor.    V.    14.    17.     Gal.   ii.   20.     CoL   iii.    12—16.     Gal   iv.   6. 
Luke  ix.  23 


8o  The  Spiritual  Mind. 

plain  that  this  is  a  very  different  mode  of  obedience 
t'rom  any  which  natural  reason  and  conscience  tell  us  of; — 
different,  not  in  its  nature,  but  in  its  excellence  and  pecu- 
liarity. It  is  much  more  than  honesty,  justice,  and 
temperance ;  and  this  is  to  be  a  Christian.  Observe  in 
U'hat  respect  it  is  different  from  that  lower  deg-ree  of 
relig-ion  which  we  may  possess  without  entering  into 
the  mind  of  the  Gospel.  First  of  all  in  its  faith  ;  which 
is  placed,  not  simply  in  God,  but  in  God  as  manifested 
in  Christ,  according  to  His  own  words,  "  Ye  believe  in 
God,  believe  also  in  Me  \"  Next,  we  must  adore  Christ 
as  our  Lord  and  Master,  and  love  Him  as  our  most 
gracious  Redeemer.  We  must  have  a  deep  sense  of  our 
guilt,  and  of  the  difficulty  of  securing  heaven ;  we  must 
live  as  in  His  presence,  daily  pleading  His  cross  and 
passion,  thinking  of  His  holy  commandments,  imitating 
His  sinless  pattern,  and  depending  on  the  gracious 
aids  of  His  Spirit ;  that  we  may  really  and  truly  be 
servants  of  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  in  whose  name 
we  were  baptized.  Further,  we  must,  for  His  sake,  aim 
at  a  noble  and  unusual  strictness  of  life,  perfecting 
holiness  in  His  fear,  destroying  our  sins,  mastering  our 
whole  soul,  and  bringing  it  into  captivity  to  His  law, 
denying  ourselves  lawful  things,  in  order  to  do  Him 
service,  exercising  a  profound  humility,  and  an  im- 
bounded,  never-failing  love,  giving  away  much  of  our 
substance  in  religious  and  charitable  works,  and  dis- 
countenancing and  shunning  irreligious  men.  This  is 
to  be  a  Christian ;  a  gift  easily  described,  and  in  a  few 
words,  but  attainable  only  with  fear  and  much  trembling  ; 

'  Jotm  xiv.  1. 


The  Spiritual  Mind.  8 1 

promised,  indeed,  and  in  a  measure  accorded  at  once  to 
every  one  who  asks  for  it,  but  not  secured  till  after  many 
years,  and  never  in  this  life  fully  realized.  But  be  sure 
of  this,  that  every  one  of  us,  who  has  had  the  opportunities 
of  instruction  and  sufficient  time,  and  yet  does  not  in 
some  good  measure  possess  it,  every  one,  who,  when 
death  comes,  has  not  gained  his  portion  of  that  gift 
which  it  requires  a  course  of  years  to  gain,  and  which 
he  might  have  gained,  is  in  a  peril  so  great  and  fearful, 
that  I  do  not  like  to  speak  about  it.  As  to  the  notion 
of  a  partial  and  ordinary  fulfilment  of  the  duties  of 
honesty,  industry,  sobriety,  and  kindness,  "  availing ' " 
him,  it  has  no  Scriptural  encouragement.  We  must 
stand  or  fall  by  another  and  higher  rule.  We  must 
have  become  what  St.  Paul  calls  "  new  creatures ' ;  '^ 
that  is,  we  must  have  lived  and  worshipped  God  as  the 
redeemed  of  Jesus  Christ,  in  all  faith  and  humbleness  of 
mind,  in  reverence  towards  His  word  and  ordinances,  in 
thankfulness,  in  resignation,  in  mercifulness,  gentleness, 
purity,  patience,  and  love. 

Now,  considering  the  obligation  of  obedience  which 
lies  upon  us  Christians,  in  these  two  respects,  first,  as 
contrasted  with  a  mere  outward  and  nominal  profession, 
and  next  contrasted  with  that  more  ordinary  obedience 
which  is  required  of  those  even  who  have  not  the  Gospel, 
how  evident  is  it  that  we  are  far  from  the  kingdom 
of  God !  Let  each  in  his  own  conscience  apply  this  to 
himself.  I  will  grant  he  has  some  real  Christian  prin- 
ciple in  his  heart ;  but  I  wish  him  to  observe  how  little 
that  is  likely  to  be.     Here  is  a  thought  not  to  keep  us 

1  Gal.  vi.  15.  *  Gal.  vi.  15. 

[I]  & 


82  The  Spiritual  Mind. 

from  rejoicing  in  the  Lord  Christ,  but  to  make  us  "re- 
joice with  trembliug\"  wait  diligently  on  God,  pray 
Him  earnestly  to  teach  us  more  of  our  duty,  and  to 
impress  the  love  of  it  on  our  hearts,  to  enable  us  to 
obey  both  in  that  free  spirit,  which  can  act  right  without 
reasoning  and  calculation,  and  yet  with  tlie  caution 
of  those  who  know  their  salvation  depends  on  obedience 
in  little  things,  from  love  of  the  truth  as  manifested 
in  Him  who  is  the  Living  Truth  come  upon  earth,  "  the 
Way,  the  Truth,  and  the  Life  \'' 

With  others  we  have  no  concern ;  we  do  not  know 
what  their  opportunities  are.  There  may  be  thousands 
in  this  populous  land  who  never  bad  the  means  of 
hearing  Christ's  voice  fully,  and  in  whom  virtues  short 
of  evangelical  will  hereafter  be  accepted  as  the  fruit 
of  faith.  Nor  can  we  know  the  hearts  of  any  men, 
or  tell  what  is  the  degree  in  which  they  have  improved 
their  talents.  It  is  enough  to  keep  to  ourselves.  We 
dwell  in  the  full  light  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  full  grace 
of  the  Sacraments.  We  ought  to  have  the  holiness  of 
Apostles.  There  is  no  reason  except  our  own  wilful 
corruption,  that  we  are  not  by  this  time  walking  in 
the  steps  of  St.  Paul  or  St.  John,  and  following  them 
as  they  followed  Christ.  What  a  thought  is  this  !  Do 
not  cast  it  from  you,  my  brethren,  but  take  it  to  your 
homes,  and  may  God  give  you  grace  to  profit  by  it  I 
*  Ps.  ii  11.  '  Jolin  ^''-  6. 


SERMON    VII. 
»)fnjS  of  3l5i^ocance  anti  .(LtLleakne^iS* 

"  Let  us  draw  near  with  a  true  heart  in  full  assurance  of  faith,  having 
our  hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience,  and  our  bodies  washed 
7vith  pure  water." — Heb.  x.  22, 

A  MONG  the  reasons  which  may  be  assigned  for  the 
observance  of  prayer  at  stated  times,  there  is  one 
which  is  very  obvious,  and  yet  perhaps  is  not  so  care- 
fully remembered  and  acted  upon  as  it  should  be.  I 
mean  the  necessity  of  sinners  cleansing-  themselves  from 
time  to  time  of  the  ever-accumulating  guilt  which  loads 
their  consciences.  V/e  are  ever  sinning ;  and  though 
Christ  has  died  once  for  all  to  release  us  from  our 
penalty,  yet  we  are  not  pardoned  once  for  all,  but 
according  as,  and  whenever  each  of  us  supplicates  for 
the  gift.  By  the  prayer  of  faith  we  appropriate  it ;  but 
only  for  the  time,  not  for  ever.  Guilt  is  again  con- 
tracted, and  must  be  again  repented  of  and  washed 
away.  We  cannot  by  one  act  of  faith  establish  our- 
selves for  ever  after  in  the  favour  of  God.  It  is  going 
beyond  His  will  to  be  impatient  for  a  final  acquittal, 
when  we  are  bid  ask  only  for  our  dail^  bread.     We 


84  Silts  0/ Ig7wrance 

are  still  so  far  in  the  condition  of  the  Israelites;  and 
though  we  do  not  offer  sacrifice,  or  observe  the  literal 
washings  of  the  Law,  yet  we  still  require  the  periodical 
renewal  of  those  blessings  which  were  formerly  conveyed 
in  their  degree  by  the  Mosaic  rites;  and  though  we 
gain  far  more  excellent  gifts  from  God  than  the  Jews 
did,  and  by  more  spiritual  ordinances,  yet  means  of 
approaching  Him  we  still  need,  and  continual  means  to 
keep  us  in  the  justification  in  which  baptism  first  placed 
us.  Of  this  the  text  reminds  us.  It  is  addressed  to 
Christians,  to  the  regenerate;  yet  so  far  from  their 
regeneration  having  cleansed  them  once  for  all,  they 
are  bid  ever  to  sprinkle  the  blood  of  Christ  upon  their 
consciences,  and  renew  (as  it  were)  their  baptism,  and 
so  continually  appear  before  the  presence  of  Almighty 
God. 

Let  us  now  endeavour  to  realize  a  truth,  which  few  of 
us  will  be  disposed  to  dispute  as  far  as  words  go. 

1.  First  consider  our  present  condition,  as  shown  us  in 
Scripture.  Christ  has  not  changed  this,  though  He  has 
died ;  it  is  as  it  was  from  the  beginning, — I  mean  our 
actual  state  as  men.  We  have  Adam's  nature  in  the 
same  sense  as  if  redemption  had  not  come  to  the  world. 
It  has  come  to  all  the  world,  but  the  world  is  not 
changed  thereby  as  a  whole, — that  change  is  not  a  work 
done  and  over  in  Christ.  We  are  changed  one  hy  one  ; 
the  race  of  man  is  what  it  ever  was,  guilty; — what 
it  was  before  Christ  came ;  with  the  same  evil  passions, 
the  same  slavish  will.  The  histoiy  of  redemption,  if 
it  is  to  be  effectual,  must  begin  from  the  beginning 
with  every  individual  of  us,  and  be  carried  on  through 


and  Weakness.  85 

our  own  life.  It  is  not  a  work  done  ages  before  we 
were  born.  We  cannot  profit  by  the  work  of  a  Saviour^ 
though  He  be  the  Blessed  Son  of  God,  so  as  to  be  saved 
thereby  without  our  own  working;  for  we  are  moral 
agents,  we  iiave  a  will  of  our  own,  and  Christ  must 
be  formed  in  us,  and  turn  us  from  darkness  to  light, 
if  God^s  gracious  nurpose,  fulfilled  upon  the  cross,  is 
to  be  in  our  case  more  than  a  name,  an  abused,  wasted 
privilege.  Thus  the  world,  viewed  as  in  God's  sight, 
can  never  become  wiser  or  more  enlightened  than  it  has 
been.  We  cannot  mount  upon  the  labours  of  our  fore- 
fathers. We  have  the  same  nature  that  man  ever  had, 
and  we  must  begin  from  the  point  man  ever  began 
from,  and  work  out  our  salvation  in  the  same  slow,  per- 
severing manner. 

(1.)  When  this  is  borne  in  mind,  how  important  the 
Jewish  Law  becomes  to  us  Christians !  important  in 
itself,  over  and  above  all  references  contained  in  it  to 
that  Gospel  which  it  introduced.  To  this  day  it  fulfils 
its  original  purpose  of  impressing  upon  man  his  great 
guilt  and  feebleness.  Those  legal  sacrifices  and  purifica- 
tions which  are  now  all  done  away,  are  still  evidence  to 
us  of  a  fact  which  the  Gospel  has  not  annulled, — our 
corruption.  Let  no  one  lightly  pass  over  the  Book  of 
Leviticus,  and  say  it  only  contains  the  ceremonial  oi 
a  national  law.  Let  no  one  study  it  merely  with  a 
critic's  eye,  satisfied  with  connecting  it  in  a  nicely 
arranged  system  with  the  Gospel,  as  though  it  con- 
tained prophecy  only.  No;  it  speaks  to  us.  Are  we 
better  than  the  Jews  ?  is  our  nature  less  unbelieving, 
sensual,   or  proud,  than  theirs  ?     Surely  man  is  at  aH 


8  6  Sins  of  Tgnorance 

tini(»s  the  same  being-,  as  even  the  philosophers  tell  us. 
And  if  so,  that  minute  ceremonial  of  the  Law  presents 
us  with  a  picture  of  our  daily  life.  It  impressively 
testifies  to  our  continual  sinning-,  by  suggesting  that 
an  expiation  is  needful  in  all  the  most  trivial  circum- 
stances of  our  conduct ;  and  that  it  is  at  our  peril  if  we 
go  on  carelessly  and  thoughtlessly,  trusting  to  our 
having  been  once  accepted, — whether  in  baptism, — or 
(as  we  think)  at  a  certain  season  of  repentance,  or  (as 
we  may  fancy)  at  the  very  time  of  the  death  of  Christ 
(as  if  then  the  whole  race  of  man  were  really  and  at  once 
pardoned  and  exalted), — or  (worse  still)  if  we  profanely 
doubt  that  man  has  ever  fallen  under  a  curse,  and  trust 
idly  in  the  mercy  of  God,  without  a  feeling  of  the  true 
misery  and  infinite  danger  of  sin. 

Consider  the  ceremony  observed  on  the  great  day  of 
atonement,  and  you  will  see  what  was  the  sinfulness  of 
the  Israelites,  and  therefore  of  all  mankind,  in  God's 
sight.  The  High  Priest  was  taken  to  represent  the 
holiest  person  of  the  whole  world.  The  nation  itself 
was  holy  above  the  rest  of  the  world ;  from  it  a  holy 
tribe  was  selected ;  from  the  holy  tribe,  a  holy  family ; 
and  from  that  family,  a  holy  person.  This  was  the  High 
Priest,  who  was  thus  set  apart  as  the  choice  specimen  of 
the  whole  human  race;  yet  even  he  was  not  allowed, 
under  pain  of  death,  to  approach  even  the  mercy-seat  of 
God,  except  once  a  year:  nor  then  in  his  splendid  robes, 
nor  without  sacrifices  for  the  sins  of  himself  and  the 
people,  the  blood  of  which  he  carried  with  him  into  the 
holy  place. 

Or  consider  the  sacrifices  necessary  according  to  the 


and  Weakness.  87 

Law  for  sins  of  ignorance ' ;  or  again^  for  the  mere 
touching  any  thing  which  the  Law  pronounced  unclean, 
or  for  bodily  disease  ^,  and  hence  learn  how  sinful  oui 
ordinary  thoughts  and  deeds  must  be,  represented  to  us 
as  they  are  by  these  outward  ceremonial  transgressions. 
Not  even  their  thanksgiving  might  the  Israelites  offer 
without  an  offering  of  blood  to  cleanse  it ;  for  our  cor- 
ruption is  not  merely  in  this  act  or  that,  but  in  our 
nature. 

(2.)  Next,  to  pass  from  the  Jewish  law,  you  will 
observe  that  God  tells  us  expressly  in  the  history  of  the 
fall  of  Adam,  what  the  legal  ceremonies  implied ;  that 
it  is  our  very  nature  which  is  sinful.  Herein  is  the 
importance  of  the  doctrine  of  original  sin.  It  is  very 
humbling,  and  as  such  the  only  true  introduction  to  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel.  Men  can  without  trouble 
be  brought  to  confess  that  they  sin,  i.  e.  that  they  com- 
mit sins.  They  know  well  enough  they  are  not  perfect; 
nay,  that  they  do  nothing  in  the  best  manner.  But 
they  do  not  like  to  be  told  that  the  race  from  which 
they  proceed  is  degenerate.  Even  the  indolent  have 
pinde  here.  They  think  they  can  do  their  duty,  only  do 
not  choose  to  do  it ;  they  like  to  believe  (though  strangely 
indeed,  for  they  condemn  themselves  while  they  believe 
it),  they  like  to  believe  that  they  do  not  want  assistance. 
A  man  must  be  far  gone  in  degradation,  and  has  lost 
even  that  false  independence  of  mind  which  is  often  a 
substitute  for  real  religion  in  leading  to  exertion,  who, 
while  living  in  sin,  steadily  and  contentedly  holds  the 
opinion  that  he  is  born  for  sin.  And  much  more  do  the 
'  Levit.  T.  *  Levit.  v.  2.  6  ;  liv.  1—32. 


88  Sins  of  Ignorance 

industrious  and  active  dislike  to  have  it  forced  upon 
their  minds,  that,  do  what  they  will,  they  have  the  taint 
of  corruption  about  all  their  doing-s  and  imaginings.  We 
know  how  ashamed  men  are  of  being  low  born,  or  dis- 
creditably connected.  This  is  the  sort  of  shame  forced 
upon  every  son  of  Adam.  "  Thy  first  father  hath 
sinned :"  this  is  the  legend  on  our  forehead  which  even 
the  sign  of  the  Cross  does  no  more  than  blot  out,  leaving 
the  mark  of  it.  This  is  our  shame;  but  I  notice  it 
here,  not  so  much  as  a  humbling  thought,  as  with  a  view 
of  pressing  upon  your  consciences  the  necessity  of  ap- 
pearing before  God  at  stated  seasons,  in  order  to  put 
aside  the  continually-renewed  guilt  of  your  nature.  Who 
will  dare  go  on  day  after  day  in  neglect  of  earnest 
prayer,  and  the  Holy  Communion,  while  each  day  brings 
its  own  fearful  burden,  coming  as  if  spontaneously, 
springing  from  our  very  nature,  but  not  got  rid  of 
without  deliberate  and  direct  acts  of  faith  in  the  Great 
Sacrifice  which  has  been  set  forth  for  its  removal  ? 

(3.)  Further,  look  into  your  own  souls,  my  brethren, 
and  see  if  you  cannot  discern  some  part  of  the  truth  of 
the  Scripture  statement,  which  I  have  been  trying  to 
set  before  you.  Recollect  the  bad  thoughts  of  various 
kmds  which  come  into  your  minds  like  darts ;  for  these 
wiU  be  some  evidence  to  you  of  the  pollution  and  odious- 
ness  of  your  nature.  TruG,  they  proceed  from  your  ad- 
versary, the  Devil ;  and  the  very  circumstance  of  your 
experiencing  them  is  in  itself  no  proof  of  your  being 
sinful,  for  even  the  Son  of  God,  your  Saviour,  suffered 
from  the  temptation  of  them.  But  you  will  scarcely 
deny  that  they  are  received  by  you  so  freely  and  heartily,. 


and  Weakness.  89 

as  to  show  that  Satan  tempts  you  through  your  nature, 
not  ag-ainst  it.  Again^,  let  them  be  ever  so  external  in 
their  first  comings  do  you  not  make  them  your  own  ? 
Do  you  not  detain  them?  or  do  you  impatiently  and 
indignantly  shake  them  off?  Even  if  you  reject  them, 
still  do  they  not  answer  Satan^s  purpose  in  inflaming 
your  mind  at  the  instant,  and  so  evidence  that  the  matter 
of  which  it  is  composed  is  corruptible  ?  Do  you  not,  for 
instance,  dwell  on  the  thought  of  wealth  and  splendour 
till  you  covet  these  temporal  blessings  ?  or  do  you  not 
suffer  yourselves,  though  for  a  while,  to  be  envious,  or 
discontented,  or  angry,  or  vain,  or  impure,  or  proud  ? 
Ah  !  who  can  estimate  the  pollution  hence,  of  one  single 
day  ;  the  pollution  of  touching  merely  that  dead  body  of 
sin  which  we  put  off  indeed  at  our  baptism,  but  which 
is  tied  about  us  while  we  live  here,  and  is  the  means  of 
our  Enemy's  assaults  upon  us !  The  taint  of  death  is 
upon  us,  and  surely  we  shall  be  stifled  by  the  encom- 
passing plague,  unless  God  from  day  to  day  vouchsafes 
to  make  us  clean. 

2.  Again,  reflect  on  the  habits  of  sin  which  we  super- 
added to  our  evil  nature  before  we  turned  to  God.  Here 
is  another  source  of  continual  defilement.  Instead  of 
checking  the  bad  elements  within  us,  perhaps  we  in- 
dulged them  for  years ;  and  they  truly  had  their  fruit 
unto  death.  Then  Adam's  sin  increased,  and  multiplied 
itself  within  us  ;  there  was  a  change,  but  it  was  for  the 
worse,  not  for  the  better ;  and  the  new  nature  we  gained, 
far  from  being  spiritual,  was  twofold  more  the  child  of 
hell  than  that  with  which  we  were  born.  So  when,  at 
length,  we  turned  back  into  a  better  course,  what  a  com- 


90  Sins  of  Ig7iorance 

plicated  work  lay  before  us,  to  unmake  ourselves !  And 
however  long  we  have  laboured  at  it,  still  how  much 
unconscious,  unavoidable  sin,  the  result  of  past  trans- 
gression, is  thrown  out  from  our  hearts  day  by  day  in 
the  energy  of  our  thinking  and  acting  !  Thus,  through 
the  sins  of  our  youth,  the  power  of  the  flesh  is  exerted 
against  us,  as  a  second  creative  principle  of  evil,  aiding 
the  malice  of  the  Devil ;  Satan  from  without, — and  our 
hearts  from  within,  not  passive  merely  and  kindled  by 
temptation,  but  devising  evil,  and  speaking  hard  things 
against  God  with  articulate  voice,  whether  we  will  or 
not !  Thus  do  past  years  rise  up  against  us  in  present 
offences;  gross  inconsistencies  show  themselves  in  our 
character;  and  much  need  have  we  continually  to  im- 
plore God  to  forgive  us  our  past  transgressions,  which 
still  live  in  spite  of  our  repentance,  and  act  of  themselves 
vigorously  against  our  better  mind,  feebly  influenced  by 
that  younger  principle  of  faith,  by  which  we  fight 
against  them. 

3.  Further,  consider  how  many  sins  are  involved  in 
our  obedience,  I  may  say  from  the  mere  necessity  of  the 
case ;  that  is,  from  not  having  that  more  vigorous  and 
clear-sighted  faith  which  would  enable  us  accurately  to 
discern  and  closely  to  follow  tlie  way  of  life.  The  case 
of  the  Jews  will  exemj^lify  what  I  mean.  There  were 
points  of  God^s  perfect  Law  which  were  not  urged  upon 
their  acceptance,  because  it  was  foreseen  that  they  would 
not  be  able  to  receive  them  as  they  really  should  be 
received,  or  to  bring  them  home  practically  to  their 
minds,  and  obey  them  simply  and  truly.  We,  Christians, 
with  the  same  evil  hearts  as  the  Jews  had,  and  most  of 


and  Weakness.  91 

us  as  unformed  in  holy  practice,  have,  nevertheless,  a 
perfect  Law.     We   are  bound  to  take  and  use  all  the 
precepts  of  the   New  Testament,  though  it  stands  to 
reason  that  many  of  them  are,  in  matter  of  fact,  quite 
above  the  comprehension  of  most  of  us.     I  am  speaking 
of  the  actual  state  of  the  case,  and  will  not  go  aside 
to   ask   why,    or   under  what   circumstances    God   was 
pleased  to  change  His  mode  of  dealing  with  man.     But 
so  it  is  ;   the  Minister  of  Christ  has  to  teach  His  sinful 
people  a  perfect  obedience,  and  does  not  know  how  to 
set  about  it,  or  how  to  insist  on  any  precept,  so  as  to 
secure   it   from    being   misunderstood    and    misapplied. 
He  sees  men  are  acting  upon  low  motives  and  views, 
and  finds  it  impossible  to  raise  their  minds  all  at  once, 
however  clear  his  statements  of  the  Truth.     He  feels 
that  their  good  deeds  might  be  done  in  a  much  better 
manner.       There    are   numberless    small    circumstances 
about  their  mode  of  doing  things,  which  offend  him,  as 
implying  poverty  of  faith,  superstition,  and  contracted 
carnal  notions.     He  is  obliged  to  leave  them  to  them- 
selves with  the  hope  that  they  may  improve  generally, 
and  outgrow  their  present  feebleness ;  and  is  often  per- 
plexed whether  to  praise  or  blame  them.     So  is  it  with 
all  of  us.  Ministers  as  well  as  people  ;   it  is  so  with  the 
most  advanced  of  Christians  while  in  the  body,  and  God 
sees  it.     What  a  source  of  continual  defilement  is  here  ; 
not  an  omission  merely  of  what  might  be  added  to  our 
obedience,  but  a  cause  of  positive  offence  in  the  Eyes  of 
Eternal  Purity !     Who  is  not  displeased  when   a  man 
attempts  some  great  work  which  is  above  his  powers  ? 
and  is  it  an  excuse  for  his  miserable  performance  that 


92  Sins  of  Ignorance 

the  work  is  above  him  ?  Now  this  is  our  case  ;  we  aw 
bound  to  serve  God  with  a  perfect  heart;  an  exalted 
work,  a  work  for  which  our  sins  disable  us.  And  when 
we  attempt  it,  necessary  as  is  our  endeavour,  how 
miserable  must  it  appear  in  the  eyes  of  the  Angels ! 
how  pitiful  our  exhibition  of  ourselves;  and,  withal, 
how  sinful  !  since  did  we  love  God  more  from  the  heart, 
and  had  we  served  Him  from  our  youth  up,  it  would 
not  have  been  with  us  as  it  is.  Thus  our  very  calling, 
as  creatures,  and  again  as  elect  children  of  God,  and 
freemen  in  the  Gospel,  is  by  our  sinfulness  made  our 
shame ;  for  it  puts  us  upon  duties,  and  again  upon  the 
use  of  privileges,  which  are  above  us.  We  attempt  great 
things  with  the  certainty  of  failing,  and  yet  the  neces- 
sity of  attempting ;  and  so  while  we  attempt,  need 
continual  forgiveness  for  the  failure  of  the  attempt. 
We  stand  before  God  as  the  Israelites  at  the  passover  of 
Hezekiah,  who  desired  to  serve  God  according  to  the 
Law,  but  could  not  do  so  accurately  from  lack  of  know- 
ledge ;  and  we  can  but  offer,  through  our  Great  High 
Priest,  our  sincerity  and  earnestness  instead  of  exact 
obedience,  as  Hezekiah  did  for  them.  "  The  good  Lord 
pardon  every  one,  that  prepareih  his  heart  to  seek  God, 
the  Lord  God  of  his  fathers,  though  he  be  not  cleansed 
according  to  the  purification  of  the  sanctuary  * ;"  not 
performing,  that  is,  the  full  duties  of  his  calling. 

And  if  such  be  the  deficiencies,  even  of  the  established 
Christian,  in  his  ordinary  state,  how  great  must  be 
those  of  the  penitent,   who   has  but  lately  begun  the 

»  2  Chrou.  XXX.  18,  19. 


and  Weakness.  93 

ser  irice  of  God  ?  or  of  the  young",  who  are  still  within 
the  influence  of  some  unbridled  imag-ination,  or  some 
domineering  passion  ?  or  of  the  heavily  depressed  spirit, 
whom  Satan  binds  with  the  bonds  of  bodily  ailment,  or 
tosses  to  and  fro  in  the  tumult  of  doubt  and  indecision  ? 
Alas  !  how  is  their  conscience  defiled  with  the  thoughts, 
nay  the  words  of  every  hour  !  and  how  inexpressibly 
needful  for  them  to  relieve  themselves  of  the  evil  that 
weighs  upon  their  heart,  by  drawing  near  to  God  in 
full  assurance  of  faith,  and  washing  away  their  guilt 
in  the  Expiation  which  He  has  appointed  ! 

What  I  have  said  is  a  call  upon  you,  my  brethren,  in 
the  first  place,  to  daily  private  prayer.  Next,  it  is  a 
call  upon  you  to  join  the  public  services  of  the  Church, 
not  only  once  a  week,  but  whenever  you  have  the 
opportunity;  knowing  well  that  your  Redeemer  is 
especially  present  where  two  or  three  are  gathered  to- 
gether. And,  further,  it  is  an  especial  call  upon  you 
to  attend  upon  the  celebration  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  in 
which  blessed  ordinance  we  really  and  truly  gain  that 
spiritual  life  which  is  the  object  of  our  daily  prayers. 
The  Body  and  Blood  of  Christ  give  power  and  efficacy 
to  our  daily  faith  and  repentance.  Take  this  view  of 
the  Lord's  Supper ;  as  the  appointed  means  of  obtaining 
the  great  blessings  you  need.  The  daily  prayers  of 
the  Christian  do  but  spring  from,  and  are  referred  back 
to,  his  attendance  on  it.  Christ  died  once,  long  since : 
by  communicating  in  His  Sacrament,  you  renew  the 
Lord's  death;  you  bring  into  the  midst  of  you  that 
Sacrifice  which  took  away  the  sins  of  the  world ;  you 
appropriate  the  benefit  of  it,  whUe  you  eat  it  under  the 


94  St'ns  of  Ignorance 

elements  of  bread  and  wine.  These  outward  signs  are 
simply  the  means  of  an  hidden  grace.  You  do  not 
expect  to  sustain  your  animal  life  without  food  ;  be  but 
as  rational  in  spiritual  concerns  as  you  are  in  temporal. 
Look  upon  the  consecrated  elements  as  necessary,  under 
God's  blessing-,  to  your  continual  sanctification ;  ap- 
proach them  as  the  salvation  of  your  souls.  Why  is  it 
more  strange  that  God  should  work  through  means  for 
the  health  of  the  soul^  than  that  He  should  ordain  them 
for  the  preservation  of  bodily  life,  as  He  certainly  has 
done  ?  It  is  unbelief  to  think  it  matters  not  to 
your  spiritual  welfare  whether  you  communicate  or  not. 
And  it  is  worse  than  unbelief,  it  is  utter  insensibility 
and  obduracy,  not  to  discern  the  state  of  death  and 
corruption  into  which,  when  left  to  yourselves,  you  are 
continually  falling  back.  Rather  thank  God,  that  whereas 
you  are  sinners,  instead  of  His  leaving  you  the  mere 
general  promise  of  life  through  His  Son,  which  is 
addressd  to  all  men.  He  has  allowed  you  to  take  that 
promise  to  yourselves  one  by  one,  and  thus  gives  you  a 
humble  hope  that  He  has  chosen  you  out  of  the  world 
unto  salvation. 

Lastly,  I  have  all  along  spoken  as  addressing  true 
Christians,  who  are  walking  in  the  narrow  way,  and 
have  hope  of  heaven.  But  these  are  the  "  few.''''  Are 
there  none  here  present  of  the  "  many  *'  who  walk  in 
the  broad  way,  and  have  upon  their  heads  all  their  sins, 
from  their  baptism  upwards  ?  Rather,  is  it  not  pro- 
bable that  there  are  persons  in  this  congregation,  who, 
though  mixed  with  the  people  of  God,  are  really  un- 
forgiven,  and  if  they  now  died,  would  die  in  their  sins  ? 


and  Weakness.  95 

Firstj  let  those  who  neglect  the  Holy  Communion  ask 
themselves  whether  this  is  not  their  condition ;  let 
them  reflect  whether  among  the  signs  by  which  it  is 
given  us  to  ascertain  our  state^  there  can  be^  to  a  man's 
own  conscience,  a  more  fearful  one  than  thi«,  that  he 
is  omitting  what  is  appointed,  as  the  ordinary  means 
of  his  salvation.  This  is  a  plain  test,  about  which  no 
one  can  deceive  himself.  But  next,  let  him  have  re- 
course to  a  more  accurate  search  into  his  conscience; 
and  ask  himself  whether  (in  the  words  of  the  text) 
he  "  draws  near  to  God  with  a  true  heart,''  i.  e.  whether 
in  spite  of  his  prayers  and  religious  services,  there  be 
not  some  secret,  unresisted  lusts  within  him,  which 
make  his  devotion  a  mockery  in  the  sight  of  God,  and 
leave  him  in  his  sins;  whether  he  be  not  in  truth 
thoughtless,  and  religious  only  as  far  as  his  friends 
make  him  seem  so, — or  light-minded  and  shallow  in  his 
religion,  being  ignorant  of  the  depths  of  his  guilt,  and 
resting  presumptuously  on  his  own  innocence  (as  he 
thinks  it)  and  God's  mercy ; — whether  he  be  not  set 
upon  gain,  obeying  God  only  so  far  as  His  service  does 
not  interfere  with  the  service  of  mammon ; — whether  he 
be  not  harsh,  evil-tempered, — unforgiving,  unpitiful,  or 
high-minded, — self-confident,  and  secure ; — or  whether 
he  be  not  fond  of  the  fashions  of  this  world,  which  pass 
away,  desirous  of  the  friendship  of  the  great,  and  of 
sharing  in  the  refinements  of  society ; — or  whether  he 
be  not  given  up  to  some  engrossing  pursuit,  which  in- 
disposes him  to  the  thought  of  his  God  and  Saviour. 

Any  one  deliberate  habit  of  sin  incapacitates  a  man 
for  receiving  the  gifts  of  the  Gospel.     All  such  states  of 


96         Sins  of  Ig7iorance  and  Weakness. 

mind  as  these  are  fearful  symptoms  of  the  existence  oi 
some  such  wilful  sin  in  our  hearts ;  and  in  proportion  as 
we  trace  these  symptoms  iu  our  conduct,  so  much  we 
dread,  lest  we  be  reprobate. 

Let  us  then  approach  God,  all  of  us,  confessing  that 
we  do  not  know  ourselves ;  that  we  are  more  guilty  than 
we  can  possibly  understand,  and  can  but  timidly  hope, 
not  confidently  determine,  that  we  have  true  faith.  Let 
us  take  comfort  in  our  being  still  in  a  state  of  grace, 
though  we  have  no  certain  pledge  of  salvation.  Let  us 
beg  Him  to  enlighten  us,  and  comfort  us  ;  to  iorgive 
us  all  our  sins,  teaching  us  those  we  do  not  see,  and 
enabling  us  to  overcome  tbem. 


SERMON    VITT. 
(Bot)'0  Commanliment0  not  (I5ciebou0. 

' '  This  is  the  love  of  God,  that  we  keep  His  commandvtents ;  and  Hu 
commandments  are  not  grievous." — i  John  v.  3. 

TT  must  ever  be  borne  in  mind,  that  it  is  a  very  great 
-^  and  arduous  thing  to  attain  to  heaven.  "  Many 
are  called,  few  are  chosen/'  "  Strait  is  the  gate,  and 
narrow  is  the  way/'  "  Many  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and 
shall  not  be  able/'  "  If  any  man  come  to  Me,  and  hate 
not  his  father  and  mother,  and  wife  and  children,  and 
brethren  and  sisters,  yea,  and  his  own  life  also,  he  cannot 
be  My  disciple  \"  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  evident 
to  any  one  who  reads  the  New  Testament  with  attention, 
that  Christ  and  His  Apostles  speak  of  a  religious  life  as 
something  easy,  pleasant,  and  comfortable.  Thus,  in 
the  words  I  have  taken  for  my  text : — "  This  is  the  love 
of  God,  that  we  keep  His  commandments;  and  His 
commandments  are  not  grievous.''  In  like  manner  our 
Saviour  says,  "  Come  unto  Me  .  ,  .  .  and  I  will  give 
you  rest  ....  My  yoke  is  easyj,  and  My  burden  is 
light*."     Solomon,  also,  in  the  Old  Testament,  speaks 

'  Matt.  xxii.  14 ;  vii.  14.     Luke  riii.  24 ;  xiv.  26.      »  Matt.  xi.  28— Stt 
[I]  H 


98        God's  Commandments  not  Grievous. 

in  the  same  way  of  true  wisdom  : — "  Her  ways  are  ways 
of  pleasantness,  and  all  her  paths  are  peace.  She  is 
a  tree  of  life  to  them  that  lay  hold  upon  her :  and  happy 

is  every  one  that  retaineth  her When  thou  liest 

down,  thou  shalt  not  be  afraid  :  yea,  thou  shalt  lie  down, 
and  thy  sleep  shall  be  sweet  \'^  Again,  we  read  in  the 
prophet  Mieah  :  "  What  doth  the  Lord  require  of  thee, 
but  to  do  justly,  and  to  love  mercy,  and  to  walk  humbly 
with  thy  God  '^  ?  "  as  if  it  were  a  little  and  an  easy  thing 
BO  to  do. 

Now  I  will  attempt  to  show  how  it  is  that  these  appa- 
rently opposite  declarations  of  Christ  and  His  Prophets 
and  Apostles  are  fulfilled  to  us.  For  it  may  be  objected 
by  inconsiderate  persons  that  we  are  (if  I  may  so  ex- 
press it)  hardly  treated ;  invited  to  come  to  Christ  and 
receive  His  light  yoke,  promised  an  easy  and  happy  life, 
the  joy  of  a  good  conscience,  the  assurance  of  pardon, 
and  the  hope  of  Heaven;  and  then,  on  the  other  hand, 
when  we  actually  come,  as  it  were,  rudely  repulsed, 
frightened,  reduced  to  despair  by  severe  requisitions  and 
evil  forebodings.  Such  is  the  objection, — not  which 
any  Christian  would  bring  forward ;  for  we,  my  brethren, 
know  too  much  of  the  love  of  our  Master  and  only 
Saviour  in  dying  for  us,  seriously  to  entertain  for  an 
instant  any  such  complaint.  We  have  at  least  faith 
enough  for  this  (and  it  does  not  require  a  great  deal), 
viz.  to  believe  that  the  Son  of  God,  Jesus  Christ,  is  not 
"  yea  and  nay,  but  in  Him  is  yea.  For  all  the  promises 
of  God  in  Him  are  yea,  and  in  Him  Amen,  unto  the  glory 
of  God  by  us  *.'*     It  is  for  the  very  reason  that  none  of 

»  ProT.  iii.  17—24,  »  Micah  vi.  8.  »  8  Cor.  i.  19,  20. 


God's  Commandments  not  Grievous.        99 

us  can  seriously  put  the  objection,  that  I  allow  myself 
to  state  it  strongly ;  to  urge  it  being  in  a  Christian's 
judgment  absurd,  even  more  than  it  would  be  wicked. 
But  though  none  of  us  really  feel  as  an  objection  to 
the  Gospel,  this  difference  of  view  under  which  the  Gospel 
is  presented  to  us,  or  even  as  a  difiiculty,  still  it  may  be 
right  (in  order  to  our  edification)  that  we  should  see 
how  these  two  views  of  it  are  reconciled.  We  must 
understand  how  it  is  hotli  severe  and  indulgent  in  its 
commands,  and  both  arduous  and  easy  in  its  obedience, 
in  order  that  we  may  understand  it  at  all.  ''  His  com- 
mandments are  not  grievous,"  says  the  text.  How  is 
this? — I  will  give  one  answer  out  of  several  which 
might  be  given. 

Now  it  must  be  admitted,  first  of  all,  as  matter 
of  fact,  that  they  are  grievous  to  the  great  mass  of 
Christians.  I  have  no  wish  to  disguise  a  fact  which  we 
do  not  need  the  Bible  to  inform  us  of,  but  which  common 
experience  attests.  Doubtless  even  those  common  ele- 
mentary duties,  of  which  the  prophet  speaks,  '"^  doing 
justly,  loving  mercy,  and  walking  humbly  with  our 
God,''  are  to  most  men  grievous. 

Accordingly,  men  of  worldly  minds,  finding  the  true 
way  of  life  unpleasant  to  walk  in,  have  attempted  to 
find  out  other  and  easier  roads ;  and  have  been  accustomed 
to  argue,  that  there  must  be  another  way  which  suits 
them  better  than  that  which  religious  men  walk  in,  for 
the  very  reason  that  Scripture  declares  that  Christ's 
commandments  are  not  grievous.  I  mean,  you  will 
meet  with  persons  who  say,  '^  After  all  it  is  not  to  be 
supposed  that  a  strict  religious  life  is  so  necessary  as  is 


s*- 


lOO     God's  Commandments  not  Grievous. 

fcold  us  in  church ;  else  how  should  any  one  be  saved  ? 
nay,  and  Christ  assures  us  His  yoke  is  easy.  Doubtless 
we  shall  fare  well  enough,  though  we  are  not  so  earnest 
in  the  observance  of  our  duties  as  we  might  be ;  though 
we  are  not  regular  in  our  attendance  at  public  worship  ; 
though  we  do  not  honour  Christ^s  ministers  and  reverence 
His  Church  as  much  as  some  men  do ;  though  we  do  not 
labour  to  know  God^s  will,  to  deny  ourselves,  and  to  live 
to  His  glory,  as  entirely  as  the  strict  letter  of  Scripture 
enjoins/^  Some  men  have  gone  so  far  as  boldly  to  say, 
"  God  will  not  condemn  a  man  merely  for  taking  a  little 
pleasure ;"  by  which  they  mean,  leading  an  irreligious 
and  profligate  life.  And  many  there  are  who  virtually 
maintain  that  we  may  live  to  the  world,  so  that  we  do 
so  decently,  and  yet  live  to  God;  arguing  that  this 
world's  blessings  are  given  us  by  God,  and  therefore 
may  lawfully  be  used ; — that  to  use  lawfully  is  to  use 
moderately  and  thankfully; — that  it  is  wrong  to  take 
gloomy  views,  and  right  to  be  innocently  cheerful,  and 
so  on ;  which  is  all  very  true  thus  stated,  did  they  not 
apply  it  unfairly,  and  call  that  use  of  the  world  moderate 
and  innocent,  which  the  Apostles  would  call  being 
conformed  to  the  world,  and  serving  mammon  instead 
of  God. 

And  thus,  before  showing  you  what  is  meant  by 
Christ's  commandments  not  being  grievous,  I  have  said 
what  is  not  meant  by  it.  It  is  nx)t  meant  that  Christ 
dispenses  with  strict  religious  obedience;  the  whole 
language  of  Scripture  is  against  such  a  notion.  "  Who- 
soever shall  break  one  of  these  least  commandments, 
and  shall  teach  men  so,  he  shall  be  called  the  least  in 


God's  Commandments  not  Grievous.       loi 

the  kingdom  of  heaven  ^.''  "  Whosoever  shall  keep  the 
whole  lawj  and  yet  offend  in  one  point,  he  is  guilty  of 
all  ^."  Whatever  is  meant  by  Christ^s  yoke  being  easy, 
Christ  does  not  encourage  sin.  And  again,  whatever  is 
meant,  still  I  repeat,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  most  men  find 
it  not  easy.  So  far  must  not  be  disputed.  Now  then 
let  us  proceed,  in  spite  of  this  admission,  to  consider 
how  He  fulfils  His  engagements  to  us,  that  His  ways 
are  ways  of  pleasantness. 

1.  Now,  supposing  some  superior  promised  you  any 
gift  in  a  particular  way,  and  you  did  not  follow  his 
directions,  would  he  have  broken  his  promise,  or  you 
have  voluntarily  excluded  yourselves  from  the  advan- 
tage ?  Evidently  you  would  have  brought  about  your 
own  loss;  you  might,  indeed,  think  his  offer  not  worth- 
accepting,  burdened  (as  it  was)  with  a  condition  annexed 
to  it,  stUl  you  could  not  in  any  propriety  say  that  he 
failed  in  his  engagement.  Now  when  Scripture  pro- 
mises us  that  its  commandments  shall  be  easy,  it  couples 
the  promise  with  the  injunction  that  we  should  seek  God 
early.  "  I  love  them  that  love  Me,  and  those  that  seek 
Me  early  shall  find  Me  ^."  Again  :  "  Remember  now  thy 
Creator  in  the  days  of  thy  youth*.'''  These  are  Solomon's 
words ;  and  if  you  require  our  Lord's  own  authority, 
attend  to  His  direction  about  the  children  :  "  Suffer  the 
little  children  to  come  unto  Me,  and  forbid  them  not,  for 
of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  God  ^."  Youth  is  the  time  of 
His  covenant  with  us,  when  He  first  gives  us  His  Spirit ; 

>  Matt.  V.  19.  *  James  ii.  10.  »  Prov.  viii.  17. 

*  Eccles.  xii.  1.  »  Mark  x.  14. 


I02       God's  Commandments  not  Grievous. 

first  giving  then,  that  we  may  then  forthwith  begin  our 
return  of  obedience  to  Him ;  not  then  giving  it  that  we 
may  delay  our  thank-offering  for  twenty,  thirty,  or  fifty 
years !  Now  it  is  obvious  that  obedience  to  God's  com.- 
mandments  is  ever  easy,  and  almost  without  effort  to 
those  who  begin  to  serve  Him  from  the  beginning  of 
their  days;  whereas  those  who  wait  a  while,  find  it 
grievous  in  proportion  to  their  delay. 

For  consider  how  gently  God  leads  us  on  in  our  early 
years,  and  how  very  gradually  He  opens  upon  us  the 
complicated  duties  of  life.  A  child  at  first  has  hardly 
any  thing  to  do  but  to  obey  his  parents ;  of  God  he 
knows  just  as  much  as  they  are  able  to  tell  him,  and  he 
is  not  equal  to  many  thoughts  either  about  Him  or  about 
•the  world.  He  is  almost  passive  in  their  hands  who 
gave  him  life  ;  and,  though  he  has  those  latent  instincts 
about  good  and  evil,  truth  and  falsehood,  which  all  men 
have,  he  does  not  know  enough,  he  has  not  had  expe- 
rience enough  from  the  contact  of  external  objects,  to 
elicit  into  form  and  action  those  innate  principles  of 
conscience,  or  to  make  himself  conscious  of  the  existence 
of  them. 

And  while  on  the  one  hand  his  range  of  duty  is  very 
confined,  observe  how  he  is  assisted  in  performing  it. 
First,  he  has  no  bad  habits  to  hinder  the  suggestions  of 
his  conscience  :  indolence,  pride,  Ul-temper,  do  not  then 
act  as  they  afterwards  act,  when  the  mind  has  accus- 
tomed itself  to  disobedience,  as  stubborn,  deep-seated 
impediments  in  the  way  of  duty.  To  obey  requires  an 
effort,  of  course ;  but  an  eflPort  like  the  bodily  effort  of 
the  child's  rising  from  the  ground,  when  he  has  fallen 


God's  Commandments  not  Grievous.      103 

on  it ;  not  the  effort  of  shaking  off  drowsy  sleep ;  not 
the  effort  (far  less)  of  violent  bodily  exertion  in  a  time 
of  sickness  and  long  weakness  :  and  the  first  effort  made, 
obedience  on  a  second  trial  wiU  be  easier  than  before,  till 
at  length  it  will  be  easier  to  obey  than  not  to  obey.  A 
good  habit  will  be  formed,  where  otherwise  a  bad  habit 
would  have  been  formed.  Thus  the  child,  we  are  sup- 
posing, would  begin  to  have  a  character ;  no  longer  in- 
fluenced by  every  temptation  to  anger,  discontent,  fear, 
and  obstinacy,  in  the  same  way  as  before;  but  with 
something  of  firm  principle  in  his  heart  to  repel  them 
in  a  defensive  way,  as  a  shield  repels  darts.  In  the 
mean  time  the  circle  of  his  duties  would  enlarge ;  and, 
though  for  a  time  the  issue  of  his  trial  would  be  doubtful 
to  those  who  (as  the  Angels)  could  see  it,  yet,  should  he, 
as  a  child,  consistently  pursue  this  easy  course  for  a  few 
years,  it  may  be,  his  ultimate  salvation  would  be  actually 
secured,  and  might  be  predicted  by  those  who  could  see 
his  heart,  though  he  would  not  know  it  himself.  Doubt- 
less new  trials  would  come  on  him ;  bad  passions,  which 
he  had  not  formed  a  conception  of,  would  assaU  him; 
but  a  soul  thus  born  of  God,  in  St.  John's  words, 
"  sinneth  not ;  but  he  that  is  begotten  of  God  keepeth 
himself,  and  that  wicked  one  toucheth  him  not*.' 
"  His  seed  remaineth  in  him  :  and  he  cannot  sin,  be- 
cause he  is  born  of  God  ^■"  And  so  he  would  grow  up 
to  man's  estate,  his  duties  at  length  attaining  their  full 
range,  and  his  soul  being  completed  in  all  its  parts  for 
the  due  performance  of  them.     This  might  be  the  blessed 

'  1  John  V.  18.  '  1  John  iii.  9, 


104       God's  Conwiandments  not  Grievous. 

condition  of  every  one  of  us^  did  we  but  follow  from 
infancy  what  we  know  to  be  right ;  and  in  Christ's  iarly 
life  (if  we  may  dare  to  speak  of  Him  in  connexion  with 
ourselves),  it  toas  fulfilled  while  He  increased  day  by 
day  sinlessly  in  wisdom  as  in  stature,  and  in  favour  with 
God  and  man.  But  my  present  object  of  speaking  of 
this  gradual  growth  of  holiness  in  the  soul,  is  (not  to 
show  what  we  might  be,  had  we  the  heart  to  obey  God), 
but  to  show  how  easy  obedience  would  in  that  case  be  to 
us ;  consisting,  as  it  would,  in  no  irksome  ceremonies,  no 
painful  bodily  discipline,  but  in  the  free-will  offerings  of 
the  heart,  of  the  heart  which  had  been  gradually,  and  by 
very  slight  occasional  efforts,  trained  to  love  what  God 
and  our  conscience  approve. 

Thus  Christ^s  commandments,  viewed  as  He  enjoins 
them  on  us,  are  not  grievous.  They  would  be  grievous  if 
put  upon  us  all  at  once ;  but  they  are  not  heaped  on  us, 
according  to  His  order  of  dispensing  them,  which  goes 
upon  an  harmonious  and  considerate  plan ;  by  little  and 
little,  first  one  duty,  then  another,  then  both,  and  so  on. 
Moreover,  they  come  upon  us,  while  the  safeguard  of 
virtuous  principle  is  forming  naturally  and  gradually  in 
our  minds  by  our  very  deeds  of  obedience,  and  is  follow- 
ing them  as  their  reward.  Now,  if  men  will  not  take 
their  duties  in  Christ's  order,  but  are  determined  to  delay 
obedience,  with  the  intention  of  setting  about  their  duty 
some  day  or  other,  and  then  making  up  for  past  time,  is 
it  wonderful  that  they  find  it  grievous  and  difficult  to 
perform  ?  that  they  are  overwhelmed  with  the  arrears  of 
their  great  work,  that  they  are  entangled  and  stumble 
amid  the  intricacies  of  the  Divine  system  which  has 


God's  Commandments  not  Grievous.     105 

progressively  enlarged  upon  them  ?  And  is  Christ  under 
obligation  to  stop  that  system,  to  recast  His  providence, 
to  take  these  men  out  of  their  due  place  m  the  Church, 
to  save  them  from  the  wheels  that  are  crushing  them, 
and  to  put  them  back  again  into  some  simple  and  more 
childish  state  of  trial,  where  (though  they  cannot  have 
less  to  unlearn)  they,  at  least,  may  for  a  time  have  less 
to  do  ? 

2.  All  this  being  granted,  it  still  may  be  objected, 
since  (as  I  have  allowed)  the  commandments  of  God  are 
grievous  to  the  generality  of  men,  where  is  the  use  of 
saying  what  men  ought  to  be,  when  we  know  what  they 
are?  and  how  is  it  fulfilling  a  promise  that  His  com- 
mandments shall  not  be  grievous,  by  informing  us  that 
they  ought  not  to  be  ?  It  is  one  thing  to  say  that  the 
Law  is  in  itself  holy,  just,  and  good,  and  quite  a  different 
thing  to  declare  it  is  not  grievous  to  sinful  man. 

In  answering  this  question,  I  fully  admit  that  our 
Saviour  spoke  of  man  as  he  is,  as  a  sinner,  when  He 
said  His  yoke  should  be  easy  to  him.  Certainly,  He 
came  not  to  call  righteous  men,  but  sinners.  Doubt- 
less we  are  in  a  very  different  state  from  that  of  Adam 
before  his  fall ;  and  doubtless,  in  spite  of  this,  St.  John 
says  that  even  to  fallen  man  His  commandments  are 
not  grievous.  On  the  other  hand,  I  grant,  that  if  man 
cannot  obey  God,  obedience  mu,st  be  grievous;  and  I  grant 
too  (of  course)  that  man  by  nature  cannot  obey  God. 
But  observe,  nothing  has  here  been  said,  nor  by  St. 
John  in  the  text,  of  man  as  by  nature  born  in  sin ;  but 
of  man  as  a  child  of  grace,  as  Christ's  purchased  posses- 
sion, who  goes  before  us   with    His   mercy,   puts   the 


[o6       Gods  Commandments  not  Grievous. 

blessing-  Hrst,  and  then  adds  the  command ;  regenerates 
us,  and  then  bids  us  obey.  Christ  bids  us  do  nothing 
that  we  cannot  do.  ?Ie  repairs  the  fault  of  our  nature, 
even  before  it  manifests  itself  in  act.  He  cleanses  us 
from  original  sin,  and  rescues  us  from  the  wrath  of 
God  by  the  sacrament  of  baptism.  He  gives  us  the  gift 
of  His  Spirit,  and  then  He  says,  "  What  doth  the  Lord 
require  of  thee,  but  to  do  justly,  and  to  love  mercy,  and 
to  walk  humbly  with  thy  God?"  and  is  this  grievous? 

When,  then,  men  allege  their  bad  nature  as  an  excuse 
for  their  dislike  of  God^s  commandments,  if,  indeed,  they 
are  heathens,  let  them  be  heard,  and  an  answer  may  be 
given  to  them  even  as  such.  But  with  heathens  we  are 
not  now  concerned.  These  men  make  their  complaint 
as  Christians,  and  as  Christians  they  are  most  unreason- 
able in  making  it ;  God  having  provided  a  remedy  for 
their  natural  incapacity  in  the  gift  of  His  Spirit.  Hear 
St.  Paul's  words ;  "  If  through  the  offence  of  one  many 
be  dead,  much  more  the  grace  of  God,  and  the  gift  by 
grace,  which  is  by  one  man,  Jesus  Christ,  hath  abounded 

unto  many Where  sin  abounded,  grace  did  much 

more  abound  :  that  as  sin  hath  reigned  unto  death,  even 
so  might  grace  reign  through  righteousness  unto  eternal 
life,  by  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord'.'' 

And  there  are  persons,  let  it  nev^er  be  forgotten,  who 
have  so  followed  God's  leading  providence  from  their 
youth  up,  that  to  them  His  commandments  not  only  are 
not  grievous,  but  never  have  been  :  and  that  there  are 
such,  is   the   condemnation  of  all  who   are   not  such. 

'   Rom.  V.  15—21. 


God's  Commandments  not  Grievous.     107 

They  have    been    broug-ht  up    "  in   the    nurture  and 
admonition  of  the   Lord ' ; "   and  they  now  live  in  the 
love  and  "the  peace  of  God^  which  passeth  all  under- 
standing-^."    Such  are  they  whom  our  Saviour  speaks 
of,  as  "just  persons,  which  need  no  repentance '."     Not 
that  they  will  give  that  account  of  themselves,  for  they 
are   full   well   conscious   in   their   own   hearts   of  sins 
innumerable,  and  habitual  infirmity.     Still,  in  spite  of 
stumblings  and  falls  in  their  spiritual  course,  they  have 
on  the  whole  persevered.     As  children  they  served  God 
on  the  whole ;  they  disobeyed,  but  they  recovered  their 
lost  ground ;  they  sought  God  and  were  accepted.    Per- 
haps their  young  faith  gave  way  for  a  time  altogether ; 
but  even  then  they  contrived  with  keen  repentance,  and 
strong  disgust  at  sin,  and  earnest  prayers,  to  make  up 
for  lost  time,  and  keep  pace  with  the  course  of  God's 
providence.     Thus   they   have   walked   with    God,   not 
indeed  step  by  step  with  Him ;   never  before  Him,  often 
loitering,  stumbling,  falling  to  sleep;  yet  in  turn  starting 
and  "  making  haste  to  keep  His  commandments,''  "  run- 
ning, and  prolonging  not  the  time."   Thus  they  proceed, 
not,  however,  of  themselves,  but  as  upheld  by  His  right 
hand,  and  guiding  their  steps  by  His  Word ;  and  though 
they  have   nothing  to  boast   of,  and  know  their  own 
unworthiness,  still  they  are  witnesses  of  Christ  to  all 
men,  as  showing  what  man  can  become,  and  what  all 
Christians  ought  to  be ;  and  at  the  last  day,  being  found 
meet  for  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light,  they 
*  condemn  the  world,"  as  Noah  did,  and  become  "  heirs 

1  Eph.  vi.  4.  »  Phil.  iv.  7-  ''  Luke  xv.  7- 


io8       God's  Commandments  not  Grievous. 

of  the  righteousness  which  is  by  faith/'  according  to  the 
saying,  '^  This  is  the  victory  that  overcometh  the  world, 
even  our  faith  */' 

And  now  to  what  do  the  remarks  I  have  been  making 
tend,  but  to  this  ? — to  humble  every  one  of  us.  For, 
however  faithfully  we  have  obeyed  God,  and  however 
early  we  began  to  do  so,  surely  we  might  have  begun 
sooner  tlian  we  did,  and  might  have  sei-ved  Him  more 
heartily.  We  cannot  but  be  conscious  of  this.  Indi- 
viduals among  us  may  be  more  or  less  guilty,  as  the  case 
may  be;  but  the  best  and  worst  among  us  here 
assembled,  may  well  unite  themselves  together  so  far  as 
this,  to  confess  they  have  "  erred  and  strayed  from  God's 
ways  like  lost  sheep,''  "have  followed  too  much  the 
devices  and  desires  of  their  own  hearts,"  have  ''^no 
health"  in  themselves  as  being  "miserable  offenders." 
Some  of  us  may  be  nearer  Heaven,  some  further  from 
it ;  some  may  have  a  good  hope  of  salvation,  and  others, 
(God  forbid!  but  it  may  be),  others  no  present  hope. 
Still  let  us  unite  now  as  one  body  in  confessing  (to  the 
better  part  of  us  such  confession  will  be  the  more  welcome, 
and  to  the  worst  it  is  the  more  needful),  in  confessing 
ourselves  sinners,  deserving  God's  anger,  and  having 
no  hope  except  "according  to  His  promises  declared 
imto  mankind  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord."  He  who  first 
regenerated  us  and  then  gave  His  commandments,  and 
then  was  so  ungratefully  deserted  by  us.  He  again  it  is 
that  must  pardon  and  quicken  us  after  our  accumulated 
guilt,  if  we  are  to  be  pardoned.     Let  us  then  trace  back 

'  1  John  V.  4i. 


God's  Commandments  not  Grievous.     109 

in  memory  (as  far  as  we  can)  our  early  years ;  what  we 
were  when  five  years  old,  when  ten,  when  fifteen,  when 
twenty!  what  our  state  would  have  been  as  far  as  we 
can  guess  it,  had  God  taken  us  to  our  account  at  any 
age  before  the  present.  I  will  not  ask  how  it  would  go 
with  us,  were  we  now  taken ;  we  will  suppose  the  best. 

Let  each  of  us  (I  say)  reflect  upon  his  own  most  gross 
and  persevering  neglect  of  God  at  various  seasons  of  his 
past  life.  How  considerate  He  has  been  to  us !  How 
did  He  shield  us  from  temptation !  how  did  He  open 
His  will  gradually  upon  us,  as  we  might  be  able  to  bear 
it ' !  how  has  He  done  all  things  well,  so  that  the 
spiritual  work  might  go  on  calmly,  safely,  surely!  How 
did  He  lead  us  on,  duty  by  duty,  as  if  step  by  step  up- 
wards, by  the  easy  rounds  of  that  ladder  whose  top  reaches 
to  Heaven?  Yet  how  did  we  thrust  ourselves  into 
temptation !  how  did  we  refuse  to  come  to  Him  that  we 
might  have  life  !  how  did  we  daringly  sin  against  light ! 
And  what  was  the  consequence  ?  that  our  work  grew 
beyond  our  strength ;  or  rather  that  our  strength  grew 
less  as  our  duties  increased;  till  at  length  we  gave  up 
obedience  in  despair.  And  yet  then  He  still  tarried  and 
was  merciful  unto  us ;  He  turned  and  looked  upon  us  to 
bring  us  into  repentance;  and  we  for  a  while  were 
moved.  Yet,  even  then  our  wayward  hearts  could  not 
keep  up  to  their  own  resolves  :  letting  go  again  the  heat 
which  Christ  gave  them,  as  if  made  of  stone,  and  not  of 
living  flesh.  What  could  have  been  done  more  to  His 
vineyard,  that  He  hath  not  done  in  it '  ?    "  O  My  people 

»  1  Cor.  X.  13.  »  Isa.  v.  4. 


1 1  o      God's  Commandments  not  Grievous. 

(He  seems  to  say  to  us),  what  have  I  done  unto  thee? 
and  wherein  have  I  wearied  thee?  testify  against  Me. 
I  brought  thee  up  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  redeemed 
thee  out  of  the  house  of  servants ;  .  .  .  .  what  doth  the 
Lord  require  of  thee,  but  justice,  mercy,  and  humbleness 
of  mind  '  ?'*  He  hath  showed  us  what  is  good.  He  has 
borne  and  carried  us  in  His  bosom,  "  lest  at  any  time  we 
should  dash  our  foot  against  a  stone '."  He  shed  His 
Holy  Spirit  upon  us  that  we  might  love  Him.  And  "  this 
Is  the  love  of  God,  that  we  keep  His  commandments, 
and  His  commandments  are  not  grievous/^  Why,  then, 
have  they  been  grievous  to  us?  Why  have  we  erred 
from  His  ways,  and  hardened  our  hearts  from  His  fear? 
Why  do  we  this  day  stand  ashamed,  yea,  even  con- 
founded, because  we  bear  the  reproach  of  our  youth  ? 

Let  us  then  turn  to  the  Lord,  while  yet  we  may. 
Difficult  it  will  be  in  proportion  to  the  distance  we  have 
departed  from  Him.  Since  every  one  might  have  done 
more  than  he  has  done,  every  one  has  suffered  losses  he 
never  can  make  up.  We  have  made  His  commands 
grievous  to  us :  we  must  bear  it ;  let  us  not  attempt  to 
explain  them  away  because  they  are  grievous.  We  never 
can  wash  out  the  stains  of  sin.  God  may  forgive,  but 
the  sin  has  had  its  work,  and  its  memento  is  set  up  in 
the  soul.  God  sees  it  there.  Earnest  obedience  and 
prayer  will  gradually  remove  it.  Still,  what  miserable 
loss  of  time  is  it,  in  our  brief  life,  to  be  merely  undoing 
(as  has  become  necessary)  the  evil  which  we  have  done, 
instead  of  going  on  to  perfection  !  If  by  God^s  grace  we 

»  Micah  vi.  3—8.  *  Ps.  ici.  12. 


God's  Commandments  not  Grievous. 


Ill 


shall  be  able  in  a  measure  to  sanctify  ourselves  in  spite  of 
our  former  sins,  yet  how  much  more  should  we  have 
attained,  had  we  always  been  engaged  in  His  service ! 

These  are  bitter  and  humbling  thoughts,  but  they 
are  good  thoughts  if  they  lead  us  to  repentance.  And 
this  leads  me  to  one  more  observation,  with  which  I 
conclude. 

If  any  one  who  hears  me  is  at  present  moved  Dy  what 
I  have  said,  and  feels  the  remorse  and  shame  of  a  bad 
conscience,  and  forms  any  sudden  good  resolution,  let 
him  take  heed  to  follow  it  up  at  once  by  acting  upon  it. 
I  earnestly  beseech  him  so  to  do.  For  this  reason ; — 
because  if  he  does  not,  he  is  beginning  a  habit  of  in- 
attention and  insensibility.  God  moves  us  in  order  to 
make  the  beginning  of  duty  easy.  If  we  do  not  attend, 
He  ceases  to  move  us.  Any  of  you,  my  brethren,  who 
will  not  take  advantage  of  this  considerate  providence, 
if  you  will  not  turn  to  God  now  with  a  warm  heart, 
you  will  hereafter  be  obliged  to  do  so  (if  you  do  so  at 
all)  with  a  cold  heart; — which  is  much  harder.  God 
keep  you  from  this ! 


SERMON    IX. 


"  The  man  out  of  whom  the  devils  were  departed  besought  Him  that  hi 
might  be  with  Him  ;  but  Jesus  sent  him  away,  saying,  Return  to 
thine  own  house,  and  show  how  great  things  God  hath  dotte  unto 
thee" — Luke  viii.  38,  39. 


TT  was  very  natural  in  the  man  whom  our  Lord  had  set 
-*-  free  from  this  dreadful  visitation,  to  wish  to  continue 
with  Him.  Doubtless  his  mind  was  transported  with 
joy  and  gratitude;  whatever  consciousness  he  might 
possess  of  his  real  wretchedness  while  the  devils  tormented 
him,  now  at  least,  on  recovering  his  reason,  he  would 
understand  that  he  had  been  in  a  very  miserable  state, 
and  he  would  feel  all  the  lightness  of  spirits  and  activity 
of  mind,  which  attend  any  release  from  suffering  or 
constraint.  Under  these  circumstances  he  would  imagine 
himself  to  be  in  a  new  world;  he  had  found  deliverance; 
and  what  was  more,  a  Deliverer  too,  who  stood  before 
him.  And  whether  from  a  wish  to  be  ever  in  His 
Divine  presence,  ministering  to  Him,  or  from  a  fear  lest 
Satan  would  return,  nay,  with  sevenfold  power,  did  he 
lose  sight  of  Christ,  or  from  an  undefined  notion  that  all 
his  duties  and  hopes  were  now  changed,  that  his  former 


The  Religious  Use  of  Excited  Feelings.   113 

pursuits  were  unworthy  of  him,  and  that  he  must  follow 
up  some  great  undertakings  with  the  new  ardour  he  felt 
glowing  within  him ; — from  one  or  other,  or  all  of  these 
feelings  combined,  he  besought  our  Lord  that  he  might 
be  with  Him.  Christ  imposed  this  attendance  as  a 
command  on  others ;  He  bade,  for  instance,  the  young 
ruler  follow  Him;  but  He  gives  opposite  commands, 
according  to  our  tempers  and  likings ;  He  thwarts  us, 
that  He  may  try  our  faith.  In  the  case  before  us  He 
suffered  not,  what  at  other  times  He  had  bidden.  "  Re- 
turn to  thine  own  house,''  He  said,  or  as  it  is  in  St. 
Mark's  Gospel,  "  Go  home  to  thy  friends,  and  tell  them 
how  great  things  the  Lord  hath  done  for  thee,  and  hath 
had  compassion  on  thee  *."  He  directed  the  current  of  his 
newly-awakened  feelings  into  another  channel ;  as  if  He 
said,  "  Lovest  thou  Me  ?  this  do ;  return  home  to  your 
old  occupations  and  pursuits.  You  did  them  ill  before,  you 
lived  to  the  world ;  do  them  well  now,  live  to  Me.  Do 
your  duties,  little  as  well  as  great,  heartily  for  My  sake; 
go  among  your  friends ;  show  them  what  God  hath  done 
for  thee;  be  an  example  to  them,  and  teach  them^" 
And  farther,  as  He  said  on  another  occasion,  "  Show 
thyself  to  the  priest,  and  offer  the  gift  that  Moses 
commanded,  for  a  testimony  unto  them  ^" — show  forth 
that  greater  light  and  truer  love  which  you  now  possess 
in  a  conscientious,  consistent  obedience  to  all  the 
ordinances  and  rites  of  your  religion. 

Now  from  this  account  of  the  restored  demoniac,  his 
request,  and  our  Lord's  denial  of  it,  a  lesson  may  be 

>  Mark  v.  19.  2  Col.  iii.  17.  ^  Matt.  viii.  4. 

LI]  I 


it4  The  Religious  Use 

drawn  for  the  use  of  those  who,  having  neglected  religion 
in  early  youth,  at  length  begin  to  have  serious  thoughts, 
try  to  repent,  and  wish  to  serve  God  better  than  hitherto, 
though  they  do  not  know  how  to  set  about  it.  We  know 
that  God's  commandments  are  pleasant,  and  ''rejoice  the 
heart,"  if  we  accept  them  in  the  order  and  manner  in 
which  He  puts  them  upon  us;  that  Christ's  yoke,  as 
He  has  promised,  is  (on  the  whole)  very  easy,  if  we 
submit  to  it  betimes ;  that  the  practice  of  religion  is  full 
of  comfort  to  those  who,  being  first  baptized  with  the 
Spirit  of  grace,  receive  thankfully  His  influences  as 
their  minds  open,  inasmuch  as  they  are  gradually  and 
almost  without  sensible  effort  on  their  part,  imbued  in 
all  their  heart,  soul,  and  strength,  with  that  true  heavenly 
life  which  will  last  for  ever. 

But  here  the  question  meets  us,  "But  what  are 
those  to  do  who  have  neglected  to  remember  their 
Creator  in  the  days  of  their  youth,  and  so  have  lost 
all  claim  on  Christ's  promise,  that  His  yoke  shall  be 
easy,  and  His  commandments  not  grievous  ?"  I 
answer,  that  of  course  they  must  not  be  surprised  if 
obedience  is  with  them  a  laborious  up-hill  work  all  their 
days ;  nay,  as  having  been  "  once  enlightened,  and 
partaken  of  the  Holy  Ghost"  in  baptism,  they  would 
have  no  right  to  complain  even  though  "it  were  im- 
possible for  them  to  renew  themselves  again  unto 
repentance."  But  God  is  more  merciful  than  this  just 
severity;  merciful  not  only  above  our  deservings,  but 
even  above  His  own  promises.  Even  for  those  who 
have  neglected  Him  when  young,  He  has  found  (if  they 
wUl  avail  themselves  of  itj  some  sort  of  remedy  of  the 


of  Excited  Feelings.  1 1 5 

difficulties  in  the  way  of  obedience  which  they  have 
brought  upon  themselves  by  sinning;  and  what  this 
remedy  is,  and  how  it  is  to  be  used,  I  proceed  to  describe 
in  connexion  with  the  account  in  the  text. 

The  help  I  speak  of  is  the  excited  feeling  with  which 
repentance  is  at  first  attended.  True  it  is,  that  all  the 
passionate  emotion,  or  fine  sensibility,  which  ever  man 
displayed,  will  never  by  itself  make  us  change  our  ways, 
and  do  our  duty.  Impassioned  thoughts,  high  aspira- 
tions, sublime  imaginings,  have  no  strength  in  them. 
They  can  no  more  make  a  man  obey  consistently,  than 
they  can  move  mountains.  If  any  man  truly  repent, 
it  must  be  in  consequence,  not  of  these,  but  of  a  settled 
conviction  of  his  guilt,  and  a  deliberate  resolution  to 
leave  his  sins  and  serve  God.  Conscience,  and  Reason 
in  subjection  to  Conscience,  these  are  those  powerful 
instruments  (under  grace)  which  change  a  man.  But 
you  will  observe,  that  though  Conscience  and  Reason 
lead  us  to  resolve  on  and  to  attempt  a  new  life,  they 
cannot  at  once  make  us  love  it.  It  is  long  practice  and 
habit  which  make  us  love  religion ;  and  in  the  beginning, 
obedience,  doubtless,  is  very  grievous  to  habitual  sinners. 
Here  then  is  the  use  of  those  earnest,  ardent  feelings 
of  which  I  just  now  spoke,  and  which  attend  on  the 
first  exercise  of  Conscience  and  Reason, — to  take  away 
from  the  beginnings  of  obedience  its  grievousness,  to  give 
us  an  impulse  which  may  carry  us  over  the  first  obsta- 
cles, and  send  us  on  our  way  rejoicing.  Not  as  if  all 
this  excitement  of  mind  were  to  last  (which  cannot  be), 
but  it  will  do  its  office  in  thus  setting  us  ofi";  and  then 
will  leave  us  to  the  more  sober  and  higher  comfort  re- 


1 1 6  The  Religious  Use 

suiting  from  that  real  love  for  religion,  which  obedience 
itself  will  have  by  that  time  begun  to  form  in  us,  and 
will  gradually  go  on  to  perfect. 

Now  it  is  well  to  understand  this  fully,  for  it  is  often 
mistaken.  When  sinners  at  length  are  led  to  think 
seriously,  strong  feelings  generally  precede  or  attend  their 
reflections  about  themselves.  Some  book  they  have  read, 
some  conversation  of  a  friend,  some  remarks  they  have 
heard  made  in  church,  or  some  occurrence  or  misfortune, 
rouses  them.  Or,  on  the  other  hand,  if  in  any  more  calm 
and  deliberate  manner  they  have  commenced  their  self- 
examination,  yet  in  a  little  time  the  very  view  of  their 
manifold  sins,  of  their  guilt,  and  of  their  heinous  ingrati- 
tude to  their  God  and  Saviour,  breaking  upon  them,  and 
being  new  to  them,  strikes,  and  astonishes,  and  then 
agitates  them.  Here,  then,  let  them  know  the  intention 
of  all  this  excitement  of  mind  in  the  order  of  Divine 
providence.  It  will  not  continue;  it  arises  from  the 
novelty  of  the  view  presented  to  them.  As  they  become 
accustomed  to  religious  contemplations,  it  will  wear 
away.  It  is  not  religion  itself,  though  it  is  accidentally 
connected  with  it,  and  may  be  made  a  means  of  leading 
them  into  a  sound  religious  course  of  life.  It  is  gra- 
ciously intended  to  be  a  set-oflP  in  their  case  against  the 
first  distastefulness  and  pain  of  doing  their  duty;  it 
must  be  used  as  such,  or  it  will  be  of  no  use  at  all,  or 
worse  than  useless.  My  brethren,  bear  this  in  mind 
(and  I  may  say  this  generally, — not  confining  myself  to 
the  excitement  which  attends  repentance, — of  all  that 
natural  emotion  prompting  us  to  do  good,  which  we  in- 
volimtarily  feel  on  various  occasions),  it  is  given  you  in 


of  Excited  Feelings.  117 

order  that  you  may  find  it  easy  to  obey  at  starting". 
Therefore  obey  promptly  ;  make  use  of  it  whilst  it  lasts ; 
it  waits  for  no  man.  Do  you  feel  natural  pity  towards 
some  case  which  reasonably  demands  your  charity  ?  oi 
the  impulse  of  generosity  in  a  case  where  you  are  called 
to  a«t  a  manly  self-denying  part  ?  Whatever  the  emo- 
tion may  be,  whether  these  or  any  other,  do  not  imagine 
you  will  always  feel  it.  Whether  you  avail  yourselves 
of  it  or  not,  still  any  how  you  will  feel  it  less  and  less, 
and,  as  life  goes  on,  at  last  you  will  not  feel  such  sudden 
vehement  excitement  at  all.  But  this  is  the  difference 
between  seizing  or  letting  slip  these  opportunities; — if 
you  avail  yourselves  of  them  for  acting,  and  yield  to 
the  impulse  so  far  as  conscience  tells  you  to  do,  you 
have  made  a  leap  (so  to  say)  across  a  gulf,  to  which 
your  ordinary  strength  is  not  equal;  you  will  have 
secured  the  beginning  of  obedience,  and  the  further  steps 
in  the  course  are  (generally  speaking)  far  easier  than 
those  which  first  determine  its  direction.  And  so,  to 
return  to  the  case  of  those  who  feel  any  accidental 
remorse  for  their  sins  violently  exerting  itself  in  their 
hearts,  I  say  to  them.  Do  not  loiter ;  go  home  to  your 
friends,  and  repent  in  deeds  of  righteousness  and  love ; 
hasten  to  commit  yourselves  to  certain  definite  acts  of 
obedience.  Doing  is  at  a  far  greater  distance  from  in- 
tending to  do  than  you  at  first  sight  imagine.  Join  them 
together  while  'you  can ;'  you  will  be  depositing  your 
good  feelings  into  your  heart  itself  by  thus  making  them 
influence  your  conduct;  and  they  will  *'  spring  up  into 
fruit.'^  This  was  the  conduct  of  the  conscience-stricken 
Corinthians,  as  described   by   St.   Paul;  who   rejoiced 


1 1 8  The  Religious  Use 

"  not  that  they  were  made  sorry  (not  that  their  feelings 
merely  were  moved) ,  but  that  they  sorrowed  to  change  of 
mind.  .  .  .  For  godly  sorrow  (Ije  continues)  worketh 
repentance  to  salvation  not  to  be  repented  of;  but  the 
sorrow  of  the  world  worketh  death  ^" 

But  now  let  us  ask,  how  do  men  usually  conduct 
themselves  in  matter  of  fact,  when  under  visitings  of 
conscience  for  their  past  sinful  lives  ?  They  are  far 
from  thus  acting.  They  look  upon  the  turbid  zeal  and 
feverish  devotion  which  attend  their  repentance,  not  as 
in  part  the  corrupt  oflPspring  of  their  own  previously  cor- 
rupt state  of  mind,  and  partly  a  gracious  natural  pro- 
vision, only  temporary,  to  encourage  them  to  set  about 
their  reformation,  but  as  the  substance  and  real  excel- 
lence of  religion.  They  think  that  to  be  thus  agitated  is 
to  be  religious  ;  they  indulge  themselves  in  these  warm 
feelings  for  their  own  sake,  resting  in  them  as  if  they 
were  then  engaged  in  a  religious  exercise,  and  boasting 
of  them  as  if  they  were  an  evidence  of  their  own  exalt«d 
spiritual  state ;  not  using  them  (the  one  only  thing  they 
ought  to  do),  using  them  as  an  incitement  to  deeds  of 
love,  mercy,  truth,  meekness,  holiness.  After  they  have 
indulged  this  luxury  of  feeling  for  some  time,  the  excite- 
ment of  course  ceases;  they  do  not  feel  as  they  did 
before.  This  (I  have  said)  might  have  been  anticipated, 
but  they  do  not  understand  it  so.  See  then  their  un- 
satisfactory state.  They  have  lost  an  '  opportunity  of 
overcoming  the  first  difficulties  of  active  obedience,  and 
so  of  fixing  their  conduct  and  character,  which  may 

*  2  Cor.  vii.  9,  10. 


of  Excited  Feelings.  119 

never  occur  ag-ain.  This  is  one  great  misfortune ;  but 
more  than  this,  what  a  perplexity  they  have  involved 
themselves  in !  Their  warmth  of  feeling  is  gradually 
dying  away.  Now  they  think  that  in  it  true  religion 
consists ;  therefore  they  believe  that  they  are  losing 
their  faith,  and  falling  into  sin  again. 

And  this,  alas !  is  too  often  the  case ;  they  do  fall 
away,  for  they  have  no  root  in  themselves.  Having 
neglected  to  turn  their  feelings  into  principles  by  acting 
upon  them,  they  have  no  inward  strength  to  overcome 
the  temptation  to  live  as  the  world,  which  continually 
assails  them.  Their  minds  have  been  acted  upon  as 
water  by  the  wind,  which  raises  waves  for  a  time,  then 
ceasing,  leaves  the  water  to  subside  into  its  former  stag- 
nant state.  The  precious  opportunity  of  improvement 
has  been  lost ;  "  and  the  latter  end  is  worse  with  them 
than  the  beginning  *.'* 

But  let  us  suppose,  that  when  they  first  detect  this 
declension  (as  they  consider  it),  they  are  alarmed,  and 
look  around  for  a  means  of  recovering  themselves. 
What  do  they  do?  Do  they  at  once  begin  those 
practices  of  lowly  obedience  which  alone  can  prove 
them  to  be  Christ^s  at  the  last  day  ?  such  as  the  govern- 
ment of  their  tempers,  the  regulation  of  their  time,  self- 
denying  charity,  truth-telling  sobriety.  Far  from  it; 
they  despise  this  plain  obedience  to  God  as  a  mere  unen- 
lightened morality,  as  they  call  it,  and  they  seek  for 
potent  stimulants  to  sustain  their  minds  in  that  state 
of  excitement  which  they  have  been  taught  to  consider 

»  2Pet.  ii.  20. 


1 20  The  Religious  Use 

the  essence  of  a  religious  life,  and  which  they  cannot 
produce  by  the  means  which  before  excited  them.  They 
have  recourse  to  new  doctrines,  or  follow  strang-e 
teachers,  in  order  that  they  may  dream  on  in  this  their 
artificial  devotion,  and  may  avoid  that  conviction  which 
is  likely  sooner  or  later  to  burst  upon  them,  that  emotion 
and  passion  are  in  our  power  indeed  to  repress,  but  not 
to  excite  ;  that  there  is  a  limit  to  the  tumults  and  swell- 
ings of  the  heart,  foster  them  as  we  will ;  and,  when 
that  time  comes,  the  poor,  mis-used  soul  is  left  exhausted 
and  resourceless.  Instances  are  not  rare  in  the  world  of 
that  fearful,  ultimate  state  of  hard-heartedness  which 
then  succeeds;  when  the  miserable  sinner  believes  indeed 
as  the  devils  may,  yet  not  even  with  the  devils'  trem- 
bling, but  sins  on  without  fear. 

Others,  again,  there  are,  who,  when  their  feelings  fall 
off  in  strength  and  fervency,  are  led  to  despond ;  and  so 
are  brought  down  to  fear  and  bondage,  when  they  might 
have  been  rejoicing  in  cheerful  obedience.  These  are  the 
better  sort,  who,  having  something  of  true  religious 
principle  in  their  hearts,  still  are  misled  in  part, — so  far, 
that  is,  as  to  rest  in  their  feelings  as  tests  of  holiness ; 
therefore  they  are  distressed  and  alarmed  at  their  own 
tranquillity,  which  they  think  a  bad  sign,  and,  being 
dispirited,  lose  time,  others  outstripping  them  in  the 
race. 

And  others  might  be  mentioned  who  are  led  by  this 
same  first  eagerness  and  zeal  into  a  different  error.  The 
restored  sufferer  in  the  text  wished  to  be  with  Christ. 
Now  it  is  plain,  all  those  who  indulge  themselves  in  the 
false  devotion  I  have  been  describing,  may  be  said  to  be 


of  Excited  Feelings.  121 

desirous  of  thus  keeping  themselves  in  Christ's  imme- 
diate sight,  instead  of  returning  to  their  own  home,  as 
He  would  have  them,  that  is,  to  the  common  duties  of 
life  :  and  they  do  this,  some  from  weakness  of  faith,  as  if 
He  could  not  bless  them,  and  keep  them  in  the  way  of 
grace,  though  they  pursued  their  worldly  callings; 
others  from  an  ill-directed  love  of  Him.  But  there  are 
others,  I  say,  who,  when  they  are  awakened  to  a  sense 
of  religion,  forthwith  despise  their  former  condition 
altogether,  as  beneath  them ;  and  think  that  they  are 
now  called  to  some  high  and  singular  office  in  the 
Church.  These  mistake  their  duty  as  those  already 
described  neglect  it ;  they  do  not  waste  their  time  in 
mere  good  thoughts  and  good  words,  as  the  others,  but 
they  are  impetuously  led  on  to  wrong  acts,  and  that  from 
the  influence  of  those  same  strong  emotions  which  they 
have  not  learned  to  use  aright  or  direct  to  their  proper 
end.  But  to  speak  of  these  now  at  any  length  would  be 
beside  my  subject. 

To  conclude ; — let  me  repeat  and  urge  upon  you,  my 
brethren,  the  lesson  which  I  have  deduced  from  the  nar- 
rative of  which  the  text  forms  part.  Your  Saviour  calls 
you  from  infancy  to  serve  Him,  and  has  arranged  all 
things  well,  so  that  His  service  shall  be  perfect  freedom. 
Blessed  above  all  men  are  they  who  heard  His  call  then, 
and  served  Him  day  by  day,  as  their  strength  to  obey 
increased.  But  further,  are  you  conscious  that  you 
have  more  or  less  neglected  this  gracious  opportunity, 
and  suffered  yourselves  to  be  tormented  by  Satan  ?  See, 
He  calls  you  a  second  time;  He  calls  you  by  your 
roused  affections   once   and   again,  ere   He  leave   you 


r  2  2  The  Religious  Use. 

finally.  He  brings  you  back  for  the  time  (as  it  were)  to 
a  second  youth  by  the  urgent  persuasions  of  excited  fear, 
gratitude,  love,  and  hope.  He  again  places  you  for  an 
instant  in  that  early,  unformed  state  of  nature  when 
habit  and  character  were  not.  He  takes  you  out  of 
yourselves,  robbing  sin  for  a  season  of  its  in-dwelling 
hold  upon  you.  Let  not  those  visitings  pass  away 
"as  the  morning  cloud  and  the  early  dew^."  Surely, 
you  must  still  have  occasional  compunctions  of  con- 
science for  your  neglect  of  Him.  Your  sin  stares  you  in 
the  face ;  your  ingratitude  to  God  affects  you.  Follow  on 
to  know  the  Lord,  and  to  secure  His  favour  by  acting 
upon  these  impulses  ;  by  them  He  pleads  with  you,  as 
well  as  by  your  conscience  ;  they  are  the  instruments  of 
His  spirit,  stirring  you  up  to  seek  your  true  peace. 
Nor  be  surprised,  though  you  obey  them,  that  they  die 
away ;  they  have  done  their  ofiice,  and  if  they  die,  it  is 
but  as  blossom  changes  into  the  fruit,  which  is  far 
better.  They  must  die.  Perhaps  you  will  have  to  labour 
in  darkness  afterwards,  out  of  your  Saviour's  sight,  in 
the  home  of  your  own  thoughts,  surrounded  by  sights 
of  this  world,  and  showing  forth  His  praise  among  those 
who  are  cold-hearted.  StiU  be  quite  sure  that  resolute, 
consistent  obedience,  though  unattended  with  high 
transport  and  warm  emotion,  is  far  more  acceptable  to 
Him  than  all  those  passionate  longings  to  live  in  His 
sight,  which  look  more  like  religion  to  the  uninstructed. 
At  the  very  best  these  latter  are  but  the  graceful  begin- 
nings of  obedience,  graceful  and  becoming  in  children, 

^  Hosea  vi.  4. 


of  Excited  Feelings.  1 23 

but  in  grown  spiritual  men  indecorous,  as  the  sports  of 
boyhood  would  seem  in  advanced  years.  Learn  to  live 
by  faith,  which  is  a  calm,  deliberate,  rational  principle, 
full  of  peace  and  comfort,  and  sees  Christ,  and  rejoices  in 
Him,  though  sent  away  from  His  presence  to  labour  in 
the  world.  You  will  have  your  reward.  He  will  "  see 
you  again,  and  your  heart  shall  rejoice,  and  your  joy  no 
man  taketh  from  you." 


SERMON    X. 
|^rofe00ioii  toit^out  |9cactfce« 

•'  When  there  were  gathered  together  an  innumerable  multitude  of 
people,  insomuch  that  they  trade  one  upon  another.  He  began  to  say 
unto  His  disciples  first  of  all.  Beware  ye  of  the  leaven  of  the 
Pharisees,  which  is  hypocrisy." — Luke  xii.  i. 

TTYPOCRISY  is  a  serious  word.  We  are  accustomed 
to  consider  the  hypocrite  as  a  hateful,  despicable 
character,  and  an  uncommon  one.  How  is  it,  then,  that 
our  Blessed  Lord,  when  surrounded  by  an  innumerable 
multitude,  began  first  of  all,  to  warn  His  disciples 
against  hypocrisy,  as  though  they  were  in  especial 
danger  of  becoming  like  those  base  deceivers,  the  Phari- 
sees ?  Thus  an  instructive  subject  is  opened  to  our  con- 
sideration, which  I  will  now  pursue. 

I  say,  we  are  accustomed  to  consider  the  hypocrite  as 
a  character  of  excessive  wickedness,  and  of  very  rare  oc- 
currence. That  hypocrisy  is  a  great  wickedness  need 
not  be  questioned ;  but  that  it  is  an  uncommon  sin,  is 
not  true,  as  a  little  examination  will  show  us.  For  what 
is  a  hypocrite  ?  We  are  apt  to  understand  by  a  hypo- 
crite, one  who  makes  a  profession  of  religion  for  secret 


Profession  without  Practice.  125 

ends,  without  practising  what  he  professes;  who  is 
malevolent,  covetous,  or  profligate,  while  he  assumes  an 
outward  sanctity  in  his  words  and  conduct,  and  who  does 
so  deliberately  and  without  remorse,  deceiving  others, 
and  not  at  all  self-deceived.  Such  a  man,  truly,  would 
be  a  portent,  for  he  seems  to  disbelieve  the  existence  of  a 
God  who  sees  the  heart.  I  will  not  deny  that  in  some 
ages,  nay,  in  all  ages,  a  few  such  men  have  existed.  But 
this  is  not  what  our  Saviour  seems  to  have  meant  by  a 
hypocrite,  nor  were  the  Pharisees  such. 

The  Pharisees,  it  is  true,  said  one  thing  and  did  ano- 
ther ;  but  they  were  not  aware  that  they  were  thus  in- 
consistent; they  deceived  themselves  as  well  as  others. 
Indeed,  it  is  not  in  human  nature  to  deceive  others  for 
any  long  time,  without  in  a  measure  deceiving  ourselves 
also.  And  in  most  cases  we  contrive  to  deceive  our- 
selves as  much  as  we  deceive  others.  The  Pharisees 
boasted  they  were  Abraham's  children,  not  at  all  under- 
standing, not  knowing  what  was  implied  in  the  term. 
They  were  not  really  included  under  the  blessing  given 
to  Abraham,  and  they  wished  the  world  to  believe  they 
were ;  but  then  they  also  themselves  thought  that  they 
were,  or,  at  least,  with  whatever  misgivings,  they  were, 
on  the  whole,  persuaded  of  it.  They  had  deceived  them- 
selves as  well  as  the  world ;  and  therefore  our  Lord  sets 
before  them  the  great  and  plain  truth,  which,  simple  as 
it  was,  they  had  forgotten.  "  If  ye  were  Abraham^'s 
children,  ye  would  do  the  works  of  Abraham  ^" 

This  truth,  I  say,  they  had  forgotten  ; — for  doubtless, 

>  John  viii.  89. 


1 26  Profession  without  Practice, 

thej  once  knew  it.  There  was  a  time  doubtless,  when 
in  some  measure  they  knew  themselves,  and  what  they 
were  doing.  When  they  began  (each  of  them  in  his 
turn)  to  deceive  the  people,  they  were  noty  at  the 
moment,  *<?^-deceived.  But  by  degrees  they  forgot, — 
because  they  did  not  care  to  retain  it  in  their  know- 
ledge,— they  forgot  that  to  be  blessed  like  Abraham, 
they  must  be  holy  like  Abraham ;  that  outward  cere- 
monies avail  nothing  without  inward  purity,  that  their 
thoughts  and  motives  must  be  heavenly.  Part  of  their 
duty  they  altogether  ceased  to  know ;  another  part  they 
might  stUl  know  indeed,  but  did  not  value  as  they 
ought.  They  became  ignorant  of  their  own  spiritual 
condition;  it  did  not  come  home  to  them,  that  they 
were  supremely  influenced  by  worldly  objects ;  that  zeal 
for  God^s  service  was  but  a  secondary  principle  in  their 
conduct,  and  that  they  loved  the  praise  of  men  better 
than  God's  praise.  They  went  on  merely  talking  of  re- 
ligion, of  heaven  and  hell,  the  blessed  and  the  reprobate, 
till  their  discourses  became  but  words  of  course  in  their 
mouths,  with  no  true  meaning  attached  to  them ;  and 
they  either  did  not  read  Holy  Scripture  at  all,  or  read  it 
without  earnestness  and  watchfulness  to  get  at  its  real 
sense.  Accordingly,  they  were  scrupulously  careful  of 
paying  tithe  even  in  the  least  matters,  of  mint,  anise, 
and  cummin,  while  they  omitted  the  weightier  matters 
of  the  Law,  judgment,  mercy,  and  faith;  and  on  this 
account  our  Lord  calls  them  "blind  guides,^'— not  bold 
impious  deceivers,  who  knew  that  they  were  false  guides, 
h\ii  blind  ^.  Again,  they  were  blind,  in  thinking  that, 
'  Matt,  xxiii.  24.         Luke  xi.  39—52. 


Profession  without  Practice,  1 17 

had  they  lived  in  their  fathers'  days^  they  would  not 
have  killed  the  prophets  as  their  fathers  did.  They  did 
not  know  themselves ;  they  had  unawares  deceived  them- 
selves as  well  as  the  people.  Ignorance  of  their  own 
ignorance  was  their  punishment  and  the  evidence  of  their 
sin.  "  If  ye  were  blind/'  our  Saviour  says  to  them,  if 
you  were  simply  blind,  and  conscious  you  were  so,  and 
distressed  at  it,  "ye  should  have  no  sin;  but  now  ye 
say,  We  see,'' — they  did  not  even  know  their  blindness — 
"  therefore  your  sin  remaineth  *." 

This  then  is  hjrpocrisy ; — not  simply  for  a  man  to 
deceive  others,  knowing  all  the  while  that  he  is  deceiving 
them,  but  to  deceive  himself  and  others  at  the  same 
time,  to  aim  at  their  praise  by  a  religious  profession, 
without  perceiving  that  he  loves  their  praise  more  than 
the  praise  of  God,  and  that  he  is  professing  far  more 
than  he  practises.  And  if  this  be  the  true  Scripture 
meaning  of  the  word,  we  have  some  insight  (as  it 
appears)  into  the  reasons  which  induced  our  Divine 
Teacher  to  warn  His  Disciples  in  so  marked  a  way 
against  hypocrisy.  An  innumerable  multitude  was 
thronging  Him,  and  His  disciples  were  around  Him. 
Twelve  of  them  had  been  appointed  to  minister  to  Him 
as  His  especial  friends.  Other  seventy  had  been  sent 
out  from  Him  with  miraculous  gifts;  and,  on  their 
return,  had  with  triumph  told  of  their  own  wonderful 
doings.  All  of  them  had  been  addressed  by  Him  as  the 
salt  of  the  earth,  the  light  of  the  world,  the  children  of 
His  kingdom.     They  were  mediators  between  Him  and 

•  John  ix.  41.     Vide  James  i.  22. 


128  Profession  without  Practice. 

the  people  at  large,  introducing  to  His  notice  the  sick 
and  heavy-laden.  And  now  they  stood  by  Him,  par- 
taking- in  His  popularity,  perhaps  glorying  in  their  con- 
nexion with  the  Christ,  and  pleased  to  be  gazed  upon  by 
the  impatient  crowd.  Then  it  was  that,  instead  of  ad- 
dressing the  multitude,  He  spoke  first  of  all  to  His 
disciples,  saying,  "  Beware  of  the  leaven  of  the  Phari- 
sees, which  is  hypocrisy  •"  as  if  He  had  said,  "  What  is 
the  chief  sin  of  My  enemies  and  persecutors  ?  not  that 
they  openly  deny  God,  but  that  they  love  a  profession  of 
religion  for  the  sake  of  the  praise  of  men  that  follows  it. 
They  like  to  contrast  themselves  with  other  men ;  they 
pride  themselves  on  being  a  little  flock,  to  whom  life  is 
secured  in  the  midst  of  reprobates ;  they  like  to  stand 
and  be  admired  amid  their  religious  performances,  and 
think  to  be  saved,  not  by  their  own  personal  holiness, 
but  by  the  faith  of  their  father  Abraham.  All  this  de- 
lusion may  come  upon  you  also,  if  you  forget  that  you 
are  hereafter  to  be  tried  one  by  one  at  God's  judgment- 
seat,  according  to  your  works.  At  present,  indeed,  you 
are  invested  in  My  greatness,  and  have  the  credit  of  My 
teaching  and  holiness :  but  '  there  is  nothing  covered 
that  shall  not  be  revealed,  neither  hid,  that  shall  not  be 
known,'  at  the  last  day/' 

This  warning  against  hypocrisy  becomes  still  more 
needful  and  impressive,  from  the  greatness  of  the  Chris- 
tian privileges  as  contrasted  with  the  Jewish.  The 
Pharisees  boasted  they  were  Abraham's  children;  we 
have  the  infinitely  higher  blessing  which  fellowship  with 
Christ  imparts.  In  our  infancy  we  have  all  been  gifted 
with  the  most  awful  and  glorious  titles,  as  children  of 


Profession  without  Practice.  1 29 

God,  members  of  Christ,  and  heirs  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.  We  have  been  honoured  with  the  grant  of 
spiritual  influences,  which  have  overshadowed  and  rested 
upon  us,  making  our  very  bodies  temples  of  God ;  and 
when  we  came  to  years  of  discretion,  we  were  admitted 
to  the  mystery  of  a  heavenly  communication  of  the  Body 
and  Blood  of  Christ.  What  is  more  likely,  considering 
our  perverse  nature,  than  that  we  should  neglect  the 
duties,  while  we  wish  to  retain  the  privileges  of  our 
Christian  profession  ?  Our  Lord  has  sorrowfully  fore- 
told in  His  parables  what  was  to  happen  in  His  Church ; 
for  instance,  when  He  compared  it  to  a  net  which 
gathered  of  every  kind,  but  was  not  inspected  till  the  end, 
and  then  emptied  of  its  various  contents,  good  and  bad. 
Till  the  day  of  visitation  the  visible  Church  will  ever  be 
full  of  such  hypocrites  as  I  have  described,  who  live  on 
under  her  shadow,  enjoying  the  name  of  Christian,  and 
vainly  fancying  they  will  partake  its  ultimate  blessedness. 

Perhaps,  however,  it  will  be  granted  that  there  are 
vast  numbers  in  the  Christian  world  thus  professing 
without  adequately  practising ;  and  yet  denied,  that  such 
a  case  is  enough  to  constitute  a  hypocrite  in  the  Scrip- 
ture sense  of  the  word ;  as  if  a  hypocrite  were  one  who 
professes  himself  to  be  what  he  is  not,  with  some  had 
motive.  It  may  be  urged  that  the  Pharisees  had  an  end 
in  what  they  did,  which  careless  and  formal  Christians 
have  not.  But  consider  for  a  moment;  what  was  the 
motive  which  urged  the  Pharisees  to  their  hypocrisy? 
surely  that  they  might  be  seen  of  men,  have  glory  of 
men  \     This  is  our  Lord's  own  account  of  them.     Now 

»  Matt.  vi.  2.  5. 

[I]  K 


I  30  Profession  without  Practice. 

who  will  say  that  the  esteem  and  fear  of  the  world's 
judgment,  and  the  expectation  of  worldly  advantages,  do 
not  at  present  most  powerfully  influence  the  generality 
of  men  in  their  profession  of  Christianity  ?  so  much  so, 
that  it  is  a  hard  matter,  and  is  thought  a  great  and 
•Qoble  act  for  men  who  live  in  the  public  world  to  do 
what  they  believe  to  be  their  duty  to  God,  in  a  straight- 
forward way,  should  the  opinion  of  society  about  it 
happen  to  run  coimter  to  them.  Indeed,  there  hardly 
has  been  a  time  since  the  Apostles'  day,  in  which  men 
were  more  likely  than  in  this  age  to  do  their  good  deeds 
to  be  seen  of  men,  to  lay  out  for  human  praise,  and 
therefore  to  shape  their  actions  by  the  world's  rule 
rather  than  God's  wiU.  We  ought  to  be  very  suspicious, 
every  one  of  us,  of  the  soundness  of  our  faith  and  virtue. 
Let  us  consider  whether  we  should  act  as  strictly  as  we 
now  do,  were  the  eyes  of  our  acquaintance  and  neigh- 
bours withdrawn  from  us.  Not  that  a  regard  to  the 
opinion  of  others  is  a  bad  motive ;  in  subordination  to 
the  fear  of  God's  judgment,  it  is  innocent  and  allowable, 
and  in  many  cases  a  duty  to  admit  it;  and  the  oppor- 
tunity of  doing  so  is  a  gracious  gift  given  from  God  to 
lead  us  forward  in  the  right  way.  But  when  we  prefer 
man's  fallible  judgment  to  God's  unerring  command, 
then  it  is  we  are  wrong, — and  in  two  ways ;  both  be- 
cause we  prefer  it,  and  because,  being  fallible,  it  will 
mislead  us ;  and  what  I  am  asking  you,  my  brethren,  is, 
not  whether  you  merely  regard  man's  opinion  of  you 
(which  you  ought  to  do),  but  whether  you  set  it  before 
God's  judgment,  which  you  assuredly  should  not  do, — 
and  which  if  you  do,  you  are  like  the  Pharisees,  so  far 


Profession  without  Practice.  131 

as  to  be  hypocrites,  though  you  may  not  go  so  far  as 
*^^hey  did  in  their  hollow  self-deceiving  ways. 

1.  That  even  decently  conducted  Christians  are  most 
extensively  and  fearfully  ruled  by  the  opinion  of  society 
about  them,  instead  of  living  by  faith  in  the  unseen 
God,  is  proved  to  my  mind  by  the  following  circum- 
stance ; — that  according  as  their  rank  in  life  makes  men 
independent  of  the  judgment  of  others,  so  the  profession 
of  regularity  and  strictness  is  given  up.  There  are  two 
classes  of  men  who  are  withdrawn  from  the  judgment  of 
the  community ;  those  who  are  above  it,  and  those  who 
are  below  it; — the  poorest  class  of  all,  which  has  no 
thought  of  maintaining  itself  by  its  own  exertions,  and 
has  lost  shame ;  and  what  is  called  (to  use  a  word  of 
this  world)  high  fashionable  society,  by  which  I  mean  not 
the  rich  necessarily,  but  those  among  the  rich  and  noble 
who  throw  themselves  out  of  the  pale  of  the  community, 
break  the  ties  which  attach  them  to  others,  whether 
above  or  below  themselves,  and  then  live  to  themselves 
and  each  other,  their  ordinary  doings  being  unseen  by 
the  world  at  large.  Now  since  it  happens  that  these 
two  ranks,  the  outlaws,  as  they  may  be  calledL  of  public 
opinion,  are  (to  speak  generally)  the  most  openly  and 
daringly  profligate  in  their  conduct,  how  much  may  be 
thence  inferred  about  the  influence  of  a  mere  love  of  re- 
putation in  keeping  us  all  in  the  right  way !  It  is  plain, 
as  a  matter  of  fact,  that  the  great  mass  of  men  are 
protected  from  gross  sin  by  the  forms  of  society.  The 
received  laws  of  propriety  and  decency,  the  prospect  of  a 
loss  of  character,  stand  as  sentinels,  giving  the  alarm, 
long  before  their  Christian  principles  have  time  to  act. 


132  Profession  without  Practice. 

But  among  the  poorest  and  rudest  class,  on  the  contrary, 
such  artificial  safeguards  against  crime  are  unknown; 
and  (observe,  I  say)  it  is  among  them  and  that  other  class 
I  have  mentioned,  that  vice  and  crime  are  most  frequent. 
Are  we,  therefore,  better  than  they  ?  Scarcely.  Doubt- 
less their  temptations  are  greater,  which  alone  prevents 
our  boasting  over  them ;  but,  besides,  do  we  not  rather 
gain  from  the  sight  of  their  more  scandalous  sins  a  grave 
lesson  and  an  urgent  warning  for  ourselves,  a  call  on  us 
for  honest  self-examination  ?  for  we  are  of  the  same 
nature,  with  like  passions  with  them  ;  we  may  be  better 
than  they,  but  our  mere  seeming  so  is  no  proof  that  we 
are.  The  question  is,  whether,  in  spite  of  our  greater 
apparent  virtue,  we  should  not  fall  like  them,  if  the 
restraint  of  society  were  withdrawn ;  i.  e.  whether  we 
are  not  in  the  main  hypocrites  like  the  Pharisees,  pro- 
fessing to  honour  God,  while  we  honour  Him  only  so 
far  as  men  require  it  of  us  ? 

2.  Another  test  of  being  like  or  unlike  the  Pharisees 
may  be  mentioned.  Our  Lord  warns  us  against  hypo- 
crisy in  three  respects, — in  doing  our  alms,  in  praying, 
and  in  fasting.  "  When  thou  doest  thine  alms,  do  not 
sound  a  trumpet  before  thee,  as  the  hypocrites  do  in  the 
synagogues  and  in  the  streets,  that  they  may  have  glory 
of  men.  .  .  .  When  thou  prayest  thou  shalt  not  be  as 
the  hypocrites  are :  for  they  love  to  pray  standing  in 
the  synagogues  and  in  the  corners  of  the  streets,  that 
they  may  be  seen  of  men.  .  .  .  When  ye  fast,  be  not, 
as  the  hypocrites,  of  a  sad  countenance,  for  they  disfigure 
their  faces,  that  they  may  appear  unto  men  to  fast  ^'* 

>  Matt.  vi.  2—16. 


Profession  without  Practice.  133 

Here  let  us  ask  ourselves,  first  about  our  alfas,  whether 
we  be  not  like  the  hypocrites.  Doubtless  some  of  our 
charity  must  be  public,  for  the  very  mentioning  our 
name  encourages  others  to  follow  our  example.  Still  I 
ask,  is  much  of  our  charity  also  private?  is  as  much 
private  as  is  public  ?  I  will  not  ask  whether  much  more 
is  done  in  secret  than  is  done  before  men,  though  this,  if 
possible,  ought  to  be  the  case.  But  at  least,  if  we  think 
in  the  first  place  of  our  public  charities,  and  only  in  the 
second  of  the  duty  of  private  alms-giving,  are  we  not 
plainly  like  the  hypocritical  Pharisees  ? 

The  manner  oi  our  prai/ers  will  supply  us  with  a  still 
stronger  test.  We  are  here  assembled  in  worship.  It 
is  well.  Have  we  really  been  praying  as  well  as  seeming 
to  pray  ?  have  our  minds  been  actively  employed  in  try- 
ing to  form  in  us  the  difiicult  habit  of  prayer  ?  Further, 
are  we  as  regular  in  praying  in  our  closet  to  our  Father 
which  is  in  secret,  as  in  public  '  ?  Do  we  feel  any  great 
remorse  in  omitting  our  morning  and  evening  prayers, 
in  saying  them  hastily  and  irreverently?  And  yet 
should  not  we  feel  excessive  pain  and  shame,  and  rightly, 
at  the  thought  of  having  committed  any  open  impro- 
priety in  church  ?  Should  we,  for  instance,  be  betrayed 
into  laughter  or  other  light  conduct  during  the  service, 
should  we  not  feel  most  acutely  ashamed  of  ourselves, 
and  consider  we  had  disgraced  ourselves,  notwithstanding 
our  habit  of  altogether  forgetting  the  next  moment  any 
sinful  carelessness  at  prayer  in  our  closet  ?  Is  not  this 
to  be  as  the  Pharisees  ? 

1  Matt.  vL  6. 


134  Profession  without  Practice. 

Take,  again,  the  case  of  fasting.  Alas !  most  of  us, 
I  fear,  do  not  think  at  all  of  fasting.  We  do  not  even 
let  it  enter  our  thoughts,  nor  debate  with  ourselves, 
whether  or  not  it  be  needful  or  suitable  for  us  to  fast, 
or  in  any  way  mortify  our  flesh.  Well,  this  is  one 
neglect  of  Christ^s  words.  But  again,  neither  do  we 
disfigure  our  outward  appearance  to  seem  to  fast,  which 
the  Pharisees  did.  Here  we  seem  to  difi'er  from  the 
Pharisees.  Yet,  in  truth,  this  very  apparent  difference 
is  a  singular  confirmation  of  our  real  likeness  to  them. 
Austerity  gained  them  credit ;  it  would  gain  us  none. 
It  would  gain  us  little  more  than  mockery  from  the 
world.  The  age  is  changed.  In  Christ's  time  the 
show  of  fasting  made  men  appear  saints  in  the  eyes 
of  the  many.  See  then  what  we  do.  We  keep  up 
the  outward  show  of  almsgiving  and  public  worship, 
— observances  which  (it  so  happens)  the  world  approves. 
We  have  dropped  the  show  of  fasting,  which  (it  so 
happens)  the  world  at  the  present  day  derides.  Are 
we  quite  sure  that  if  fasting  were  in  honour,  we  should 
not  begin  to  hold  fasts,  as  the  Pharisees  ?  Thus  we  seek 
the  praise  of  men.  But  in  all  this,  how  are  we,  in 
any  good  measure,  following  God's  guidance  and  pro- 
mises? 

We  see,  then,  how  seasonable  is  our  Lord's  warning 
to  us,  His  disciples,  first  of  all,  to  beware  of  the  leaven 
of  the  Pharisees,  which  is  hypocrisy  :  professing  without 
practising.  He  warns  us  against  it  as  leaven^  as  a 
subtle  insinuating  evil  which  will  silently  spread  itself 
throughout  the  whole  character^  if  we  suffer  it.     He 


Profession  uuithout  Practice.  135 

warns  us,  His  disciples,  lovingly  considerate  for  us, 
lest  we  make  ourselves  a  scorn  and  derision  to  the  pro- 
fane multitude,  who  throng  around  to  gaze  curiously, 
or  malevolently,  or  selfishly,  at  His  doings.  They  seek 
Him,  not  as  adoring  Him  for  His  miracles'  sake,  but,  if 
so  be  that  they  can  obtain  any  thing  from  Him,  or  can 
please  their  natural  tastes  while  they  profess  to  honour 
Him;  and  in  time  of  trial  they  desert  Him.  They 
make  a  gain  of  godliness,  or  a  fashion.  So  He  speaks 
not  to  them,  but  to  us,  His  little  flock.  His  Church,  to 
whom  it  has  been  His  Father's  good  pleasure  to  give 
the  kingdom ' ;  and  He  bids  us  take  heed  of  falling,  as 
the  Pharisees  did  before  us,  and  like  them  coming  short 
of  our  reward.  He  warns  us  that  the  pretence  of 
religion  never  deceives  beyond  a  little  time;  that 
sooner  or  later,  ^'whatsoever  we  have  spoken  in  dark- 
ness shall  be  heard  in  the  light,  and  that  which  we 
have  spoken  in  the  ear  in  closets,  shall  be  proclaimed 
upon  the  housetops."  Even  in  this  world  the  discovery 
is, often  made.  A  man  is  brought  into  temptation  of 
some  sort  or  other,  and  having  no  root  in  himself  falls 
away,  and  gives  occasion  to  the  enemies  of  the  Lord  to 
blaspheme.  Nay,  this  will  happen  to  him  without 
himself  being  aware  of  it ;  for  though  a  man  begins  to 
deceive  others  before  he  deceives  himself,  yet  he  does 
not  deceive  them  so  long  as  he  deceives  himself.  Their 
eyes  are  at  length  opened  to  him,  while  his  own  continue 
closed  to  himself.  The  world  sees  through  him,  detects, 
and  triumphs  in  detecting,  his  low  motives  and  secular 

1  Luke  xii.  32, 


136  Profession  withotit  Practice. 

plans  and  artifices^  while  he  is  but  very  faintly  sensible 
of  them  himself,  much  less  has  a  notion  that  others 
clearly  see  them.  And  thus  he  will  go  on  professing 
the  highest  principles  and  feelings,  while  bad  men  scorn 
him,  and  insult  true  religion  in  his  person. 

Do  not  think  lam  speaking  of  one  or  two  men,  when 
I  speak  of  the  scandal  which  a  Christian's  inconsistency 
brings  upon  his  cause.  The  Christian  world,  so  called, 
what  is  it  practically,  but  a  witness  for  Satan  rather 
than  a  witness  for  Christ  ?  Rightly  understood,  doubt- 
less the  very  disobedience  of  Christians  witnesses  for 
Him  who  will  overcome  whenever  He  is  judged.  But 
is  there  any  antecedent  prejudice  against  religion  so  great 
as  that  which  is  occasioned  by  the  lives  of  its  professors? 
Let  us  ever  remember,  that  all  who  follow  God  with 
but  a  half  heart,  strengthen  the  hands  of  His  enemies^ 
give  cause  of  exultation  to  wicked  men,  perplex  inquirers 
after  truth,  and  bring  reproach  upon  their  Saviour's 
name.  It  is  a  known  fact,  that  unbelievers  triumphantly 
maintain  that  the  greater  part  of  the  English  people  is 
on  their  side  ;  that  the  disobedience  of  professing 
Christians  is  a  proof,  that  (whatever  they  say)  yet  in 
their  hearts  they  are  unbelievers  too.  This  we  ourselves 
perhaps  have  heard  said;  and  said,  not  in  the  heat  of 
argument,  or  as  a  satire,  but  in  sober  earnestness, 
from  real  and  full  persuasion  that  it  is  true;  that 
is,  the  men  who  have  cast  off  their  Saviour,  console 
themselves  with  the  idea,  that  their  neighbours,  though 
too  timid  or  too  indolent  openly  to  do  so,  yet  in  secret, 
or  at  least  in  their  real  character,  do  the  same.  And 
witnessing  this  general  inconsistency,  they  despise  them 


Profession  without  Practice.  137 

as  unmanly,  cowardly,  and  slavish,  and  hate  religion  as 
the  origin  of  this  debasement  of  mind.  ^'The  people 
who  in  this  country  call  themselves  Christians  (says 
one  of  these  men),  with  few  exceptions,  are  %o^  believers; 
and  every  man  of  sense,  whose  bigotry  has  not  blinded 
him,  must  see  that  persons  who  are  evidently  devoted 
to  worldly  gain,  or  worldly  vanities,  or  luxurious  enjoy- 
ments, though  still  preserving  a  little  decency,  while  they 
pretend  to  believe  the  infinitely  momentous  doctrines 
of  Christianity,  are  performers  in  a  miserable  farce, 
which  is  beneath  contempt/^  Such  are  the  words  of 
an  open  enemy  of  Christ;  as  though  he  felt  he  dared 
confess  his  unbelief,  and  despised  the  mean  hypocrisy 
of  those  around  him.  His  argument,  indeed,  will  not 
endure  the  trial  of  God's  judgment  at  the  last  day,  for 
no  one  is  an  unbeliever  but  by  his  own  fault.  But 
though  no  excuse  for  him,  it  is  their  condemnation. 
What,  indeed,  will  they  plead  before  the  Throne  of 
God,  when,  on  the  revelation  of  all  hidden  deeds,  this 
reviler  of  religion  attributes  his  unbelief  in  a  measure 
to  the  sight  of  their  inconsistent  conduct  ?  When  he 
mentions  this  action  or  that  conversation,  this  violent 
or  worldly  conduct,  that  covetous  or  unjust  transaction, 
or  that  self-indulgent  life,  as  partly  the  occasion  of  his 
falling  away?  "Woe  unto  the  world  (it  is  written), 
because  of  scandals ;  for  it  must  needs  be  that  scandals 
come,  but  woe  to  the  man  hy  whom'^hQ  scandal  cometh'P' 
Woe  unto  the  deceiver  and  self-deceived !  "  His  hope 
shall  perish ;  his  hope  shall  be  cut  off,  and  his  trust  shall 

1  Matt,  xviii.  7. 


1 38  Profession  without  Practice, 

be  a  spider's  web :  he  shall  lean  upon  his  house,  but  it 
shall  not  stand ;  he  shall  hold  it  fast,  but  it  shall  not 
endure^."  God  give  us  grace  to  flee  from  this  woe 
while  we  have  time  !  Let  us  examine  ourselves,  to  see 
if  there  be  any  wicked  way  in  us;  let  us  aim  at 
obtaining  some  comfortable  assurance  that  we  are  in 
the  narrow  way  that  leads  to  life.  And  let  us  pray 
God  to  enlighten  us,  and  to  guide  us,  and  to  give  us 
the  will  to  please  Him,  and  the  power. 

>  Job  viii.  13—15. 


SERMON  XI. 

"  As  many  ofyoti  as  have  been  baptized  into  Christ  have  put  on  Christ  ' 

— Gal.  iii.  27. 

TT  is  surely  most  necessary  to  beware,  9js  our  Lord 
-*-  solemnly  bids  us,  of  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees^ 
which  is  hypocrisy.  We  may  be  infected  with  it,  even 
though  we  are  not  conscious  of  our  insincerity ;  for  they 
did  not  know  they  were  hypocrites.  Nor  need  we  have 
any  definite  bad  object  plainly  before  us,  for  they  had 
none, — only  the  vague  desire  to  be  seen  and  honoured  by 
the  world,  such  as  may  influence  us.  So  it  would  seem, 
that  there  are  vast  multitudes  of  Pharisaical  hypocrites 
among  baptized  Christians ;  i.  e.  men  professing  without 
practising.  Nay,  so  far  we  may  be  called  hypocritical, 
one  and  all ;  for  no  Christian  on  earth  altogether  lives 
up  to  his  profession. 

But  here  some  one  may  ask,  whether  in  saying  that 
hypocrisy  is  professing  without  practising,  I  am  not,  in 
fact,  overthrowing  all  external  religion  from  the  founda- 
tion, since  all  creeds,  and  prayers,  and  ordinances,  go 
beyond  the  real  belief  and  frame  of  mind  of  even  the  best 
Christians.     This  is  even  the  ground  which  some  men 


1 40  Profession  without  Hypocrisy. 

actually  take.  They  say  that  it  is  wrong  to  baptize,  and 
call  Christians,  those  who  have  not  yet  shown  themselves 
to  be  really  such.  "As  many  as  are  baptized  into  Christ, 
put  on  Christ ; "  so  says  the  text,  and  these  men  argue 
from  it,  that  till  we  have  actually  put  on  Christ,  that  is, 
till  we  have  given  our  heart  to  Christ^s  service,  and  in 
our  degree  become  holy  as  He  is  holy,  it  can  do  no  good 
to  be  baptized  into  His  name.  Rather  it  is  a  great  evil, 
for  it  is  to  become  hypocrites.  Nay,  really  humble, 
well-intentioned  men,  feel  this  about  themselves.  They 
shrink  from  retaining  the  blessed  titles  and  privileges 
which  Christ  gave  them  in  infancy,  as  being  unworthy  of 
them;  and  they  fear  lest  they  are  really  hypocrites 
like  the  Pharisees,  after  all  their  better  thoughts  and 
exertions. 

Now  the  obvious  answer  to  this  mistaken  view  of 
religion  is  to  say,  that,  on  the  showing  of  such  reasoners, 
no  one  at  all  ought  to  be  baptized  in  any  case,  and  called 
a  Christian;  for  no  one  acts  up  to  his  baptismal  pro- 
fession ;  no  one  believes,  worships,  and  obeys  duly,  the 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  whose  servant  he  is  made 
in  baptism.  And  yet  the  Lord  did  say,  "Go,  baptize  all 
nations;"  clearly  showing  us,  that  a  man  may  be  a  fit 
subject  for  baptism,  though  he  does  not  in  fact  practise 
every  thing  that  he  professes,  and  therefore,  that  any 
fears  we  may  have,  lest  men  should  be  in  some  sense 
like  the  Pharisees,  must  not  keep  us  from  making  them 
Christians. 

But  I  shall  treat  the  subject  more  at  length,  in  order 
that  we  may  understand  what  kind  of  disobedience  is 
really  hypocrisy,  and  what  is  not,  lest  timid  consciences 


Profession  without  Hypocrisy.  141 

should  be  frightened.  Now  men  profess  without  feeling 
and  doing;  or  are  hypocrites,  in  nothing  so  much  as  in 
their  prayers.  This  is  plain.  Prayer  is  the  most  directly 
religious  of  all  our  duties ;  and  our  falling  short  of  our 
duty,  is,  then,  most  clearly  displayed.  Therefore  I  will 
enlarge  upon  the  case  of  prayer,  to  explain  what  I  do  not 
mean  by  hypocrisy.  We  then  use  the  most  solemn 
words,  either  without  attending  to  what  we  are  saying, 
or  (even  if  we  do  attend)  without  worthily  entering 
into  its  meaning.  Thus  we  seem  to  resemble  the 
Pharisees;  a  question  in  consequence  arises,  whether, 
this  being  the  case,  we  should  go  on  repeating  prayers 
which  evidently  do  not  suit  us.  The  men  I  just  now 
spoke  of,  affirm  that  we  ought  to  leave  them  off. 
Accordingly,  such  persons  in  their  own  case  first  give  up 
the  Church  prayers,  and  take  to  others  which  they  think 
will  suit  them  better.  Next,  when  these  disappoint 
them,  they  have  recourse  to  what  is  called  extempore 
prayer;  and  afterwards  perhaps,  discontented  in  turn 
with  this  mode  of  addressing  Almighty  God,  and  as 
unable  to  fix  their  thoughts  as  they  were  before,  they 
come  to  the  conclusion  that  they  ought  not  to  pray 
except  when  specially  moved  to  prayer  by  the  influence 
of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

Now,  in  answer  to  such  a  manner  of  reasoning  and 
acting,  I  would  maintain  that  no  one  is  to  be  reckoned  a 
Pharisee  or  hypocrite  in  his  prayers  who  tries  not  to  be 
one, — who  aims  at  knowing  and  correcting  himself, — 
and  who  is  accustomed  to  pray,  though  not  perfectly, 
yet  not  indolently  or  in  a  self-satisfied  way;  ho\v^ever 
lamentable  his  actual  wanderings  of  mind  may  be,  or, 


142  Profession  without  Hypocrisy. 

a^ain,  however  poorly  he  enters  into  the  meaning  of  his 
prayerS;  even  when  he  attends  to  them. 

1.  First  take  the  case  of  not  being  attentive  to  the 
prayers.  Men,  it  seems,  are  tempted  to  leave  off  prayers 
because  they  cannot  follow  them,  because  they  find  their 
thoughts  wander  when  they  repeat  them.  I  answer, 
that  to  pray  attentively  is  a  habit.  This  must  ever  be 
kept  in  mind.  No  one  begins  with  having  his  heart 
thoroughly  in  them;  but  by  trying,  he  is  enabled  to 
attend  more  and  more,  and  at  length,  after  many  trials 
and  a  long  schooling  of  himself,  to  fix  his  mind  steadily 
on  them.  No  one  (I  repeat)  begins  with  being  attentive. 
Novelty  in  prayers  is  the  cause  of  persons  being  attentive 
in  the  outset,  and  novelty  is  out  of  the  question  in  the 
Church  prayers,  for  we  have  heard  them  from  childhood, 
and  knew  them  by  heart  long  before  we  could  understand 
them.  No  one,  then,  when  he  first  turns  his  thoughts 
to  religion,  finds  it  easy  to  pray ;  he  is  ii-regular  in  his 
religious  feelings ;  he  prays  more  earnestly  at  some 
times  than  at  others;  his  devotional  seasons  come  by 
fits  and  starts ;  he  cannot  account  for  his  state  of  mind, 
or  reckon  upon  himself;  he  frequently  finds  that  he  is 
more  disposed  for  prayer  at  any  time  and  place  than 
those  set  apart  for  the  purpose.  All  this  is  to  be 
expected ;  for  no  habit  is  formed  at  once ;  and  before  the 
flame  of  religion  in  the  heart  is  purified  and  strengthened 
by  long  practice  and  experience,  of  course  it  will  be 
capricious  in  its  motions,  it  will  flare  about  (so  to  say) 
and  flicker,  and  at  times  seem  almost  to  go  out. 

However,  impatient  men  do  not  well  consider  this; 
they  overlook  or  are  offended  at  the  necessity  of  humble, 


Profession  without  Hypocrisy.  143 

tedious  practice  to  enable  them  to  pray  attentively,  and 
they  account  for  their  coldness  and  -panderings  of 
thought  in  any  way  but  the  true  one.  Sometimes  they 
attribute  this  inequality  in  their  religious  feelings  to  the 
arbitrary  coming  and  going  of  God's  Holy  Spirit;  a 
most  irreverent  and  presumptuous  judgment,  which  I 
shoidd  not  mention,  except  that  men  do  form  it,  and 
therefore  it  is  necessary  to  state  in  order  to  condemn  it. 
Again,  sometimes  they  think  that  they  shall  make 
themselves  attentive  all  at  once  by  bringing  before  their 
minds  the  more  sacred  doctrines  of  the  Gospel,  and  thus 
rousing  and  constraining  their  souls.  This  does  for  a 
time ;  but  when  the  novelty  is  over,  they  find  themseves 
relapsing  into  their  former  inattention,  without  ap- 
parently having  made  any  advance.  And  others,  again, 
when  discontented  with  their  wanderings  during  prayer, 
lay  the  fault  on  the  prayers  themselves  as  being  too 
long.  This  is  a  common  excuse,  and  I  wish  to  call  your 
attention  to  it. 

If  any  one  alleges  the  length  of  the  Church  prayers  as 
a  reason  for  his  not  keeping  his  mind  fixed  upon  them,  I 
would  beg  him  to  ask  his  conscience  whether  he  sincerely 
believes  this  to  be  at  bottom  the  real  cause  of  his  in- 
attention ?  Does  he  think  he  should  attend  letter  if  the 
prayers  were  shorter?  This  is  the  question  he  has  to 
consider.  If  he  answers  that  he  believes  he  should  attend 
more  closely  in  that  case,  then  I  go  on  to  ask,  whether 
he  attends  more  closely  (as  it  is)  to  the  first  part  of  the 
service  than  to  the  last ;  whether  his  mind  is  his  own, 
regularly  fixed  on  what  he  is  engaged  in,  for  any  time 
in  any  part  of  the  service  ?     Now,  if  he  is  obliged  to 


144  Profession  without  Hypocrisy, 

own  that  this  is  not  the  case,  that  his  thoughts  are 
wandering  in  all  parts  of  the  service,  and  that  even 
during  the  Confession,  or  the  Lord's  Prayer,  which 
come  first,  they  are  not  his  own,  it  is  quite  clear  that  it 
is  not  the  length  of  the  service  which  is  the  real  cause  of 
his  inattention,  but  his  being  deficient  in  the  habit  of 
being-  attentive.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  he  answers  that 
he  can  fix  his  thoughts  for  a  time,  and  during  the  early 
part  of  the  service,  I  would  have  him  reflect  that  even 
this  degree  of  attention  was  not  always  his  own,  that  it 
has  been  the  work  of  time  and  practice;  and,  if  by 
trying  he  has  got  so  far,  by  trying  he  may  go  on  and 
learn  to  attend  for  a  still  longer  time,  till  at  length  he  is 
able  to  keep  up  his  attention  through  the  whole  service. 
However,  I  wish  chiefly  to  speak  to  such  as  are  dis- 
satisfied with  themselves,  and  despair  of  attending 
properly.  Let  a  man  once  set  his  heart  upon  learning 
to  pray,  and  strive  to  learn,  and  no  failures  he  may  con- 
tinue to  make  in  his  manner  of  praying  are  sufllcient  to 
cast  him  from  God's  favour.  Let  him  but  persevere, 
not  discouraged  at  his  wanderings,  not  frightened  into 
a  notion  he  is  a  hypocrite,  not  shrinking  from  the 
honourable  titles  which  God  puts  on  him.  Doubtless 
he  should  be  humbled  at  his  own  weakness,  indolence, 
and  carelessness ;  and  he  should  feel  (he  cannot  feel  too 
much)  the  guilt,  alas  !  which  he  is  ever  contracting  in 
his  prayers  by  the  irreverence  of  his  inattention.  Still 
he  must  not  leave  ofi*  his  prayers,  but  go  on  looking 
towards  Christ  his  Saviour.  Let  him  but  be  in  earnest, 
striving  to  master  his  thoughts,  and  to  be  serious,  and 
all  the  guilt  of  his  incidental  failings  will  be  washed 


Profession  without  Hypocrisy.  145 

away  in  his  Lord^s  blood.  Only  let  him  not  be  con- 
tented with  himself;  only  let  him  not  neglect  to 
attempt  to  obey.  What  a  simple  rule  it  is^  to  try  to 
be  attentive  in  order  to  be  so  !  and  yet  it  is  continually 
overlooked;  that  is,  we  do  not  systematically  try,  we 
do  not  make  a  point  of  attempting  and  attempting 
over  and  over  again  in  spite  of  bad  success ;  we  attempt 
only  now  and  then,  and  our  best  devotion  is  merely 
when  our  hearts  are  excited  by  some  accident  which  may 
or  may  not  happen  again. 

So  much  on  inattention  to  our  prayers,  which,  I  say, 
should  not  surprise  or  frighten  us,  which  does  not  prove 
us  to  be  hypocrites  unless  we  acquiesce  in  it ;  or  oblige 
us  to  leave  them  off,  but  rather  to  learn  to  attend  to 
them. 

2.  I  proceed,  secondly,  to  remark  on  the  difficulty  of 
entering  into  the  meaning  of  them,  when  we  do  attend  to 
them. 

Here  a  tender  conscience  will  ask,  "  How  is  it  possible 
I  can  rightly  use  the  solemn  words  which  occur  in  the 
prayers  "i"  A  tender  conscience  alone  speaks  thus.  Those 
confident  objectors  whom  I  spoke  of  just  now,  who 
maintain  that  set  prayer  is  necessarily  a  mere  formal 
service  in  the  generality  of  instances,  a  service  in  which 
the  heart  has  no  part,  they  are  silent  here.  They  do 
not  feel  tMs  difficulty,  which  is  the  real  one ;  they  use 
the  most  serious  and  awful  words  lightly  and  without 
remorse,  as  if  they  really  entered  into  the  meaning  of 
what  is,  in  truth,  beyond  the  intelligence  of  Angels, 
But  the  humble  and  contrite  believer,  coming  to  Christ 
for  pardon  and  help,  perceives  the  great  strait  he  is  in, 

[I]  L 


146  Profession  without  Hypocrisy. 

in  having  to  address  the  God  of  heaven.  This  per- 
plexity of  mind  it  was  which  led  convinced  sinners 
in  former  times  to  seek  refuge  in  beings  short  of  God ; 
not  as  denying  God^s  supremacy,  or  shunning  Him, 
but  discerning  the  vast  distance  between  themselves 
and  Him,  and  seeking  some  resting  places  by  the  way^ 
some  Zoar,  some  little  city  near  to  flee  unto',  because 
of  the  height  of  God's  mountain,  up  which  the  way  of 
escape  lay.  And  then  gradually  becoming  devoted  to 
those  whom  they  trusted,  Saints,  Angels,  or  good  men 
living,  and  copying  them,  their  faith  had  a  fall,  and 
their  virtue  trailed  upon  the  ground,  for  want  of  props 
to  rear  it  heavenward.  We  Christians,  sinners  though 
we  be  like  other  men,  are  not  allowed  thus  to  debase 
our  nature,  or  to  defraud  ourselves  of  God's  mercy ;  and 
though  it  be  very  terrible  to  speak  to  the  living  God, 
yet  speak  we  must,  or  die ;  tell  our  sorrows  we  must,  or 
there  is  no  hope;  for  created  mediators  and  patrons 
are  forbidden  us,  and  to  trust  in  an  arm  of  flesh  is  made 
a  sin. 

Therefore  let  a  man  reflect,  whoever  from  tenderness 
of  conscience  shuns  the  Church  as  above  him  (whether 
he  shuns  her  services,  or  her  sacraments),  that,  awful  as 
it  is  to  approach  Christ,  to  speak  to  Him,  to  "  eat  His 
flesh  and  drink  His  blood,"  and  to  live  in  Him,  to  whom 
shall  he  go  ?  See  what  it  comes  to.  Christ  is  the  only 
way  of  salvation  open  to  sinners.  Truly  we  are  children, 
and  cannot  suitably  feel  the  words  which  the  Church 
teaches  us,  though  we  say  them  after  her,  nor  feel  duly 

'  0en.  xii.  20, 


Profession  without  Hypocrisy ^  147 

reverent  at  God's  presence  !  Yet  let  us  but  know  oui 
own  ignorance  and  weakness,  and  we  are  safe.  God 
accepts  those  who  thus  come  in  faith,  bringing*  nothing 
as  their  offering,  but  a  confession  of  sin.  And  this  is 
the  highest  excellence  to  which  we  ordinarily  attain ;  to 
understand  our  own  hypocrisy,  insincerity,  and  shal- 
lowness of  mind, — to  own,  while  we  pray,  that  we  cannot 
pray  aright, — to  repent  of  our  repentings, — and  to  sub- 
mit ourselves  wholly  to  His  judgment,  who  could  indeed 
be  extreme  with  us,  but  has  already  shown  His  loving- 
kindness  in  bidding  us  to  pray.  And,  while  we  thus 
conduct  ourselves,  we  must  learn  to  feel  that  God  knows 
all  this  before  we  say  it,  and  far  better  than  we  do.  He 
does  not  need  to  be  informed  of  our  extreme  worthlessness. 
We  must  pray  in  the  spirit  and  the  temper  of  the 
extremest  abasement,  but  we  need  not  search  for 
adequate  words  to  express  this,  for  in  truth  no  words 
are  bad  enough  for  our  case.  Some  men  are  dissatisfied 
with  the  confessions  of  sin  we  make  in  Church,  as  not 
being  strong  enough ;  but  none  can  be  strong  enough  j 
let  us  be  satisfied  with  sober  words,  which  have  been 
ever  in  use ;  it  will  be  a  great  thing  if  we  enter  into 
them.  No  need  of  searching  for  impassioned  words  to 
express  our  repentance,  when  we  do  not  rightly  enter 
even  into  the  most  ordinary  expressions. 

Therefore,  when  we  pray  let  us  not  be  as  the 
hypocrites,  making  a  show;  nor  use  vain  repetitions 
with  the  heathen ;  let  us  compose  ourselves,  and  kneel 
down  quietly  as  to  a  work  far  above  us,  preparing  our 
minds  for  our  own  imperfection  in  prayer,  meekly 
repeating    the    wonderful    words    of   the   Church    our 


148  Profession  without  Hypocrisy. 

Teacher,  and  desiring  with  the  Angels  to  look  into 
them.  When  we  call  God  our  Father  Almighty,  or 
own  ourselves  miserable  offenders,  and  beg  Him  to 
spare  us,  let  us  recollect  that,  though  we  are  using 
a  strange  language,  yet  Christ  is  pleading  for  us  in 
the  same  words  with  full  understanding  of  them,  and 
availing  power;  and  that,  though  we  know  not  what 
we  should  pray  for  as  we  ought,  yet  the  Spirit  itself 
maketh  intercession  for  us  with  plaints  unutterable. 
Thus  feeling  God  to  be  around  us  and  in  us,  and 
therefore  keeping  ourselves  still  and  collected,  we 
shall  serve  Him  acceptably,  with  reverence  and  godly 
fear;  and  we  shall  take  back  with  us  to  our  common 
employments  the  assurance  that  He  is  still  gracious  to 
us,  in  spite  of  our  sins,  not  willing  we  should  perish, 
desirous  of  our  perfection,  and  ready  to  form  us  day 
by  day  after  the  fashion  of  that  divine  image  which  in 
baptism  was  outwardly  stamped  upon  us. 

I  have  spoken  only  of  our  prayers,  and  but  referred 
to  our  general  profession  of  Christianity.  It  is  plain, 
however,  what  has  been  said  about  praying,  may  be 
applied  to  all  we  do  and  say  as  Christians.  It  is  true 
that  we  profess  to  be  saints,  to  be  guided  by  the  highest 
principles,  and  to  be  ruled  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  We 
have  long  ago  promised  to  believe  and  obey.  It  is 
also  true  that  we  cannot  do  these  things  aright;  nay, 
even  with  God's  help  (such  is  our  sinful  weakness),  still 
we  fall  short  of  our  duty.  Nevertheless  we  must  not 
cease  to  profess.  We  must  not  put  off  from  us  the 
wedding  garment  which  Christ  gave  us  in  baptism. 
We  may  stiU  rejoice  in  Him  without  being  hypocrites. 


Profession  witJiout  Hypocrisy.  149 

that  is,  if  we  labour  day  by  day  to  make  that  wedding 
garment  our  own ;  to  fix  it  on  ii.s  and  so  incorporate  it 
with  our  very  selves,  that  death,  which  strips  us  of  all 
things,  may  be  unable  to  tear  it  from  us,  though  as  yet 
it  be  in  great  measure  but  an  outward  garb,  covering 
our  own  nakedness. 

I  conclude  by  reminding  you,  how  great  God's  mercy 
is  in  thus  allov/ing  us  to  clothe  ourselves  in  the  glory  of 
Christ  from  the  first,  even  before  we  are  worthy '  of  it. 
I  suppose  there  is  nothing  so  distressing  to  a  true 
Christian  as  to  have  to  prove  himself  such  to  others ; 
both  as  being  conscious  of  his  own  numberless  failings, 
and  from  his  dislike  of  display.  Now  Christ  has  an- 
ticipated the  difficulties  of  his  modesty.  He  does  not 
allow  such  an  one  to  speak  for  himself;  He  speaks  for 
him.  He  introduces  each  of  us  to  his  brethren,  not 
as  we  are  in  ourselves,  fit  to  be  despised  and  rejected 
on  account  of  "  the  temptations  which  are  in  our  flesh,'' 
but  "  as  messengers  of  God,  even  as  Christ  Jesus.''  It 
is  our  happiness  that  we  need  bring  nothing  in  proof  of 
our  fellowship  with  Christians,  besides  our  baptism. 
This  is  what  a  great  many  persons  do  not  understand; 
they  think  that  none  are  to  be  accounted  fellow- 
Christians  but  those  who  evidence  themselves  to  be 
such  to  their  fallible  understandings;  and  hence  they 
encourage  others,  who  wish  for  their  praise,  to  practise 
all  kinds  of  display,  as  a  seal  of  their  regeneration. 
Who  can  tell  the  harm  this  does  to  the  true  modesty 
of  the  Christian  spirit?      Instead  of  using  the  words 

>  Matt.  xiii.  8.    Col.  i.  10. 


1 50  Profession  without  Hypocrisy. 

of  the  Church,  and  speaking  to  God,  men  are  led  to 
use  their  o\vn  words,  and  make  man  their  judge  and 
justifier*.  They  think  it  necessary  to  tell  out  their 
secret  feelings,  and  to  enlarge  on  what  God  has  done 
to  their  own  souls  in  particular.  And  thus  making 
themselves  really  answerable  for  all  the  words  they 
use,  which  are  altogether  their  own,  they  do  in  this 
case  become  hypocrites;  they  do  say  more  than  they 
can  in  reality  feel.  Of  course  a  religious  man  will 
naturally,  and  unawares,  out  of  the  very  fulness  of 
his  heart,  show  his  deep  feeling  and  his  conscien- 
tiousness to  his  near  friends;  but  when  to  do  so  is 
made  a  matter  of  necessity,  an  object  to  be  aimed  at, 
and  is  an  intentional  act,  then  it  is  that  hypocrisy 
must,  more  or  less,  sully  our  faith.  "  As  many  of 
you  as  have  been  baptized  into  Christ,  have  put  on 
Christ;"  this  is  the  Apostle's  decision.  "There  is 
neither  Jew  nor  Greek,  there  is  neither  bond  nor 
free,  there  is  neither  male  nor  female;  for  ye  are  all 
one  in  Christ  Jesus.''  The  Church  follows  this  rule, 
and  bidding  us  keep  quiet,  speaks  for  us;  robes  us 
from  head  to  foot  in  the  garments  of  righteousness, 
and  exhorts  us  to  live  henceforth  to  God.  But  the 
disputer  of  this  world  reverses  this  procedure ;  he  strips 
off  all  our  privileges,  bids  us  renounce  our  dependence 
on  the  Mother  of  saints,  tells  us  we  must  each  be  a 
Church  to  himself,  and  must  show  himself  to  the  world 
to  be  by  himself  and  in  himself  the  elect  of  God,  in 
order  to  prove  his  right  to  the  privileges  of  a  Christian. 

»  1  Cor.  iv.  3—6. 


Profession  without  Hypocrisy.  151 

Far  be  it  from  us  thus  to  fight  against  God's  gracious 
purposes  to  man,  and  to  make  the  weak  brother  perish, 
for  whom  Christ  died ' !  Let  us  acknowledge  all  to  be 
Christians,  who  have  not  by  open  word  or  deed  renounced 
their  fellowship  with  us,  and  let  us  try  to  lead  them  on 
into  all  truth.  And  for  ourselves,  let  us  endeavour  to 
enter  more  and  more  fully  into  the  meaning  of  our  own 
prayers  and  professions ;  let  us  humble  ourselves  for  the 
very  little  we  do,  and  the  poor  advance  we  make ;  let  us 
avoid  unnecessary  display  of  rehgion ;  let  us  do  our  duty 
in  that  state  of  life  to  which  God  has  called  us.  Thus 
proceeding,  we  shall,  through  God's  grace,  form  within 
us  the  glorious  mind  of  Christ.  Whether  rich  or  poor, 
learned  or  unlearned,  walking  by  this  rule,  we  shall 
become,  at  length,  true  saints,  sons  of  God.  We  shall  be 
upright  and  perfect,  lights  in  the  world,  the  image  of  Him 
who  died  that  we  might  be  conformed  to  His  likeness. 

U  Cor.  viii.  11. 


SERMON    XII. 
.     iBrofe00fon  tjjftl&out  C^tctitatiom 

"  Ye  are  the  light  of  the  world.     A  city  that  is  set  on  an  hill  cannot 
be  hid." — Matt.  v.  14. 

/^UR  Saviour  gives  us  a  command,  in  this  passage 
^-^  of  His  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  to  manifest  our 
religious  profession  before  all  men.  '^  Ye  are  the  b'ght 
of  the  world/''  He  says  to  His  disciples ;  '^  A  city  that  is 
set  on  a  hill  cannot  be  hid.  Neither  do  men  light  a 
candle  and  put  it  under  a  bushel,  but  on  a  candlestick ; 
aiUd  it  giveth  light  unto  all  that  are  in  the  house.  Let 
your  light  so  shine  before  men,  that  they  may  see  your 
good  works,  and  glorify  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven.'* 
Yet  presently  He  says,  "When  thou  doest  alms  .  .  .  when 
thou  prayest  .  .  .  when  ye  fast  .  .  .  appear  not  unto  men 
.  .  .  but  unto  thy  Father  which  is  in  secret  ^."  How 
are  these  commands  to  be  reconciled  ?  how  are  we  at 
once  to  profess  ourselves  Christians,  and  yet  hide  our 
Christian  words,  deeds,  and  self-denials  ? 

I  will  now  attempt  to  answer  this  question ;  that  is, 

»  Matt.  vi.  2—18. 


Profession  without  Ostentation,  153 

to  explain  how  we  may  be  witnesses  to  the  world  for 
Godj  and  yet  without  pretension,  or  affectation,  or  rude 
and  indecent  ostentation. 

1.  Now,  first,  much  might  be  said  on  that  mode  of 
witnessing-  Christ  which  consists  in  conforming  to  Hiis 
Church.  He  who  simply  did  what  the  Church  bids  him 
do  (if  he  did  no  more),  would  witness  a  good  confession 
to  the  world,  and  one  which  cannot  be  hid ;  and  at  the 
same  time,  with  very  little,  if  any,  personal  display.  He 
does  only  what  he  is  told  to  do ;  he  takes  no  respon- 
sibility on  himself.  The  Apostles  and  Martyrs  who 
founded  the  Church,  the  Saints  in  all  ages  who  have 
adorned  it,  the  Heads  of  it  now  alive,  all  these  take  from 
him  the  weight  of  his  profession,  and  bear  the  blame  (so 
to  call  it)  of  seeming  ostentations.  I  do  not  say  that 
irreligious  men  will  not  call  such  an  one  boastful,  or 
austere,  or  a  hypocrite ;  that  is  not  the  question.  The 
question  is,  whether  in  God's  judgment  he  deserves  the 
censure ;  whethei  he  is  not  as  Christ  would  have  him, 
really  and  truly  (whatever  the  world  may  say)  joining 
humility  to  a  bold  outward  profession;  whether  he  is 
not,  in  thus  acting,  preaching  Christ  without  hurting 
his  own  pureness,  gentleness,  and  modesty  of  character. 
If  indeed  a  man  stands  forth  on  his  own  ground,  declaring 
himself  as  an  individual  a  witness  for  Christ,  then  indeed 
he  is  grieving  and  disturbing  the  calm  spirit  given  us 
by  God.  But  God's  merciful  providence  has  saved  us 
this  temptation,  and  forbidden  us  to  admit  it.  He  bids 
us  unite  together  in  one,  and  to  shelter  our  personal 
profession  under  the  authority  of  the  general  body. 
Thus,  while  we  show  ourselves  as  lights  to  the  world  far 


154  Profession  wiihouf  Ostentation. 

more  effectively  than  if  we  glimmered  separately  m  the 
lone  wilderness  without  communication  with  others,  at  the 
same  time  we  do  so  with  far  greater  secresy  and  humility. 
Therefore  it  is,  that  the  Church  does  so  many  things  for 
us,  appoints  Fasts  and  Feasts,  times  of  public  prayer, 
the  order  of  the  sacraments,  the  services  of  devotion  at 
marriages  and  deaths,  and  all  accompanied  by  a  fixed 
form  of  sound  words ;  in  order  (I  say)  to  remove  from  us 
individually  the  burden  of  a  high  profession,  of  implying 
great  things   of   ourselves  by  inventing    for   ourselves 
solemn  prayers  and  praises, — a  task  far  above  the  gene- 
rality of  Christians,  to  say  the  least,  a  task  which  humble 
men  will  shrink  from,  lest  they  prove  hypocrites,  and 
which  will  hurt  those  who  do  undertake  it,  by  making 
them    rude-spirited    and   profane.       I    am    desirous    of 
speaking  on  this  subject  as  a  matter  of  practice;  for  I 
am  sure,  that  if  we  wish  really  and  in  fact  to  spread  the 
knowledge  of  the  Truth,  we  shall  do  so  far  more  power- 
fully as  well  as  purely,  by  keeping  together,  than  by 
witnessing  one  by  one.     Men  are  to  be  seen  adopting  all 
kinds  of  strange  ways  of  giving  glory  (as  they  think)  to 
God.     If  they   would   but   follow   the   Church;    come 
together  in  prayer  on  Sundays  and  Saints'  days,  nay, 
every  day;  honour  the  rubric  by  keeping  to  it  obediently, 
and  conforming  their  families  to  the  spirit  of  the  Prayer 
Book,  I  say  that  on  the  whole  they  would  practically 
do  vastly  more  good  than  by  trying  new  religious  plans, 
founding  new  religious  societies,  or  striking   out  new 
religious    views.     I    put    out    of    account   the   greater 
blessing  they  might  expect  to  find  in  the  way  of  duty, 
which  is  the  first  consideration. 


Profession  without  Ostentation.  155 

2.  One  way  of  professing  without  display  has  been 
mentioned; — obeying  the  Church.  Now  in  the  next 
place^  consider  how  great  a  profession,  and  yet  a  pro- 
fession how  unconscious  and  modesty  arises  from  the 
mere  ordinary  manner  in  which  any  strict  Christian 
lives.  Let  this  thought  be  a  satisfaction  to  uneasy 
minds  which  fear  lest  they  are  not  confessing  Christ, 
yet  dread  to  display.  Your  life  displays  Christ  without 
your  intending  it.  You  cannot  help  it.  Your  words 
and  deeds  will  show  on  the  long  run  (as  it  is  said), 
where  your  treasure  is,  and  your  heart.  Out  of  the 
abundance  of  your  heart  your  mouth  speaketh  words 
'^  seasoned  with  salt.^'  We  sometimes  find  men  who 
aim  at  doing  their  duty  in  the  common  course  of  life, 
surprised  to  hear  that  they  are  ridiculed,  and  called  hard 
names  by  careless  or  worldly  persons.  This  is  as  it 
should  be;  it  is  as  it  should  be,  that  they  are  surprised 
at  it.  If  a  private  Christian  sets  out  with  expecting  to 
make  a  disturbance  in  the  world,  the  fear  is,  lest  he  be 
not  so  humble-minded  as  he  should  be.  But  those  who 
go  on  quietly  in  the  way  of  obedience,  and  yet  are 
detected  by  the  keen  eye  of  the  jealous,  self-condemning, 
yet  proud  world,  and  who,  on  discovering  their  situation, 
first  shrink  from  it  and  are  distrest,  then  look  to  see  if 
they  have  done  aught  wrongly,  and  after  all  are  sorry  for 
it,  and  but  slowly  and  very  timidly  (if  at  all)  learn  to 
rejoice  in  it,  these  are  Christ's  flock.  These  are  they 
who  follow  Him  who  was  meek  and  lowly  of  heart.  His 
elect,  in  whom  He  sees  His  own  image  reflected.  Con- 
sider how  such  men  show  forth  their  light  in  a  wicked 
world,  yet  unconsciously.     Moses  came  down  from  the 


1 56         Profession  without  Ostentation. 

mount,  and  ''wist  not  that  the  skin  of  his  face  shone  "  as 
one  who  had  held  intercourse  with  God.  But  "  when 
Aaron  and  all  the  children  of  Israel  saw  Moses,  behold, 
the  skin  of  his  face  shone ;  and  they  were  afraid  to  come 
nig'h  him  */^  Who  can  estimate  the  power  of  our 
separate  words  spoken  in  season !  How  many  of  them 
are  recollected  and  cherished  by  this  person  or  that, 
which  we  have  forgotten,  and  bear  fruit !  How  do  our 
good  deeds  excite  others  to  rivalry  in  a  good  cause,  as 
the  Angels  perceive  though  we  do  not !  How  are  men 
thinking  of  us  we  never  heard  of,  or  saw  but  once,  and 
in  far  countries  unknown !  Let  us  for  a  moment  view 
this  pleasing  side  of  our  doings,  as  well  as  the  sad 
prospect  of  our  evil  communications.  Doubtless,  our 
prayers  and  alms  are  rising  as  a  sweet  sacrifice,  pleasing 
to  God ' ;  and  pleasing  to  Him,  not  only  as  an  office  of 
devotion,  but  of  charity  towards  all  men.  Our  busi- 
nesses and  our  amusements,  our  joys  and  our  sorrows, 
our  opinions,  tastes,  studies,  views  and  principles,  are 
drawn  one  way,  heavenward.  Be  we  high  or  low,  in  our 
place  we  can  serve,  and  in  consequence  glorify,  Him  who 
died  for  us.  "  A  little  maid,'^  who  was  "  brought  away 
captive  out  of  the  land  of  Israel,  and  waited  on  Naaman'e 
wife  ^  "  pointed  out  to  the  great  captain  of  the  host  of 
the  king  of  Syria  the  means  of  recovery  from  his 
leprosy,  and  "his  servants''  spoke  good  words  to  him 
afterwards,  and  brought  him  back  to  his  reason  when 
he  would  have  rejected  the  mode  of  cure  which  the 
prophet  prescribed.     This  may  quiet  impatient  minds^ 

'  Eiod.  xixiv.  29,  30.  »  Acts  x.  4.  >  2  Kings  v.  2. 


Profession  without  Ostentation.  157 

and  console  the  over-scrupulous  conscience.  "  Wait  on 
God  and  be  doing-  good,"  and  you  must,  you  cannot 
but  be  showing  your  light  before  men  as  a  city  on  a 
hill. 

3.  Still  it  is  quite  true  that  there  are  circumstances 
under  which  a  Christian  is  bound  openly  to  express  his 
opinion  on  religious  subjects  and  matters ;  and  this  is 
the  real  difficulty,  viz.  how  to  do  so  without  display. 
As  a  man's  place  in  society  is  here  or  there,  so  it  is  more 
or  less  his  duty  to  speak  his  mind  freely.  We  must 
never  countenance  sin  and  error.  Now  the  more  obvious 
and  modest  way  of  discountenancing  evil  is  by  silence, 
and  by  separating  from  it ;  for  example,  we  are  bound  to 
keep  aloof  from  deliberate  and  open  sinners.  St.  Paul 
expressly  tells  us,  "  not  to  keep  company,  if  any  man 
that  is  called  a  brother  (i.  e.  a  Christian)  be  a  fornicator, 
or  covetous,  or  an  idolater,  or  a  railer,  or  a  drunkard,  or 
an  extortioner ;  with  such  an  one,  no  not  to  eat  ^"  And 
St.  John  gives  us  the  like  advice  with  respect  to  here- 
tics. "  If  there  come  any  unto  you,  and  bring  not  this 
doctrine  (i.  e.  the  true  doctrine  of  Christ),  receive  him 
not  into  your  house,  neither  bid  him  God  speed ;  for  he 
that  biddeth  him  God  speed  is  partaker  of  his  evil 
deeds '."  It  is  plain  that  such  conduct  on  our  part 
requires  no  great  display,  for  it  is  but  conforming  to  the 
rules  of  the  Church  ;  though  it  is  often  difficult  to  know 
on  what  occasions  we  ought  to  adopt  it,  which  is  another 
question. 

A  more  difficult  duty  is  that  of  passing  judgment  (as 

1  1  Cor.  V.  11.  »  2  John  10.  11. 


158         Profession  without  Ostejitation. 

a  Christian  is  often  bound  to  do)  on  events  of  the  day 
and  public  men.  It  becomes  his  duty,  in  proportion  as 
he  has  station  and  influence  in  the  community,  in  order 
that  he  may  persuade  others  to  think  as  he  does.  Above 
all,  clergymen  are  bound  to  form  and  pronounce  an 
opinion.  It  is  sometimes  said,  in  familiar  language,  that 
a  clergyman  should  have  nothing  to  do  with  politics. 
This  is  true,  if  it  be  meant  that  he  should  not  aim  at 
secular  objects,  should  not  side  with  a  political  party  as 
such,  should  not  be  ambitious  of  popular  applause,  or  the 
favour  of  great  men,  should  not  take  pleasure  and  lose 
time  in  business  of  this  world,  should  not  be  covetous. 
But  if  it  means  that  he  should  not  express  an  opinion 
and  exert  an  influence  one  way  rather  than  another,  it  is 
plainly  unscriptural.  Did  not  the  Apostles,  with  all 
their  reverence  for  the  temporal  power,  whether  Jewish 
or  Roman,  and  all  their  separation  from  worldly  ambi- 
tion, did  they  not  still  denounce  their  rulers  as  wicked 
men,  who  had  crucified  and  slain  the  Lord's  Christ '  ? 
and  would  they  have  been  as  a  city  on  a  hill  if  they  had 
not  done  so  ?  If,  indeed,  this  world's  concerns  could  be 
altogether  disjoined  from  those  of  Christ's  Kingdom, 
then  indeed  all  Christians  (laymen  as  well  as  clergy) 
should  abstain  from  the  thought  of  temporal  affairs,  and 
let  the  worthless  world  pass  down  the  stream  of  events 
till  it  perishes ;  but  if  (as  is  the  case)  what  happens  in 
nations  must  affect  the  cause  of  religion  in  those  na- 
tions, since  the  Church  may  be  seduced  and  corrupted 
by  the  world,  and  in  the  world  there  are  myriads  of  souls 

»  Acts  ii.  23 ;  iii.  13—17 ;  iv.  27  ;  xiii.  27. 


Profession  without  Ostentation.  159 

to  be  converted  and  saved,  and  since  a  Christian  nation 
is  bound  to  become  part  of  tbe  Church,  therefore  it  is 
our  duty  to  stand  as  a  beacon  on  a  hill,  to  cry  aloud  and 
spare  not,  to  lift  up  our  voice  like  a  trumpet,  and  show 
the  people  their  transgression,  and  the  house  of  Jacob 
their  sins  '.  And  all  this  may  be  done  without  injury 
to  our  Christian  gentleness  and  humbleness,  though  it 
is  difficult  to  do  it.  We  need  not  be  angry  nor  use 
contentious  words,  and  yet  may  firmly  give  our  opinion, 
in  proportion  as  we  have  the  means  of  forming  one.  and 
be  zealous  towards  God  in  all  active  good  service,  and 
scrupulously  and  pointedly  keep  aloof  from  the  bad  mer 
whose  evil  arts  we  fear. 

Another  and  still  more  difficult  duty  is  that  of  per- 
sonally rebuking  those  we  meet  with  in  the  intercourse 
of  life  who  sin  in  word  or  deed,  and  testifying  before 
them  in  Christ^s  name ;  that  is,  it  is  difficult  at  once  to 
be  unassuming  and  zealous  in  such  cases.  We  know 
it  is  a  plain  and  repeated  precept  of  Christ  to  tell 
others  of  their  faults  for  charity's  sake;  but  how  is 
this  to  be  done  without  seeming,  nay,  without  being 
arrogant  and  severe?  There  are  persons  who  are 
anxious  to  do  their  duty  to  the  fuU,  who  fear  that  they 
are  deficient  in  this  particular  branch  of  it,  and  defi- 
cient from  a  blameable  backwardness,  and  the  dread  of 
giving  offignce;  yet,  on  the  other  hand,  they  feel  the 
painfulness  of  rebuking  another,  and  (to  use  a  common 
word)  the  awkwardness  of  it.  Such  persons  must  con- 
sider that,  though  to  rebuke  is  a  duty,  it  is  not  a  duty 

1  Isa.  Iviii.  1. 


i6o         Profession  without  Ostentation. 

lielonging  at  once  to  all  men ;  and  the  perplexity  which 
is  felt  about  it  often  arises  from  the  very  impropriety 
of  attempting  it  in  the  particular  case.  It  is  improper, 
as  a  general  rule,  in  the  young  to  witness  before  the  old, 
otherwise  than  by  their  silence.  Still  more  improper  is 
it  in  inferiors  to  rebuke  their  superiors ;  for  instance,  a 
child  his  parent,  of  course;  or  a  private  person  his 
natural  and  divinely-appointed  govemour.  When  we 
assume  a  character  not  suited  to  us,  of  course  we  feel 
awkward ;  and  although  we  may  have  done  so  in  honesty 
and  zeal  (however  ill-tutored),  and  so  God  may  in  mercy 
accept  our  service,  still  He,  at  the  same  time,  rebukes  us 
by  our  very  feeling  of  perplexity  and  shame.  As  for 
such  as  rudely  blame  another,  and  that  a  superior,  and 
feel  no  pain  at  doing  so,  I  have  nothing  to  say  to  such 
men,  except  to  express  my  earnest  desire  that  they  may 
be  led  into  a  more  Christian  frame  of  mind.  They  do 
not  even  feel  the  difficulty  of  witnessing  for  God  without 
display. 

It  is  to  be  considered,  too,  that  to  do  the  part  of  a 
witness  for  the  truth,  to  warn  and  rebuke,  is  not  an  ele- 
mentary duty  of  a  Christian.  I  mean,  that  our  duties 
come  in  a  certain  order,  some  before  others,  and  that  this 
is  not  one  of  the  first  of  them.  Our  first  duties  are  to 
repent  and  believe.  It  would  be  strange,  indeed,  for  a 
man,  who  had  just  begun  to  think  of  religion,  to  set  up 
for  "  some  great  one,^^  to  assume  he  was  a  saint  and  a 
witness,  and  to  exhort  others  to  turn  to  God.  This  is 
evident.  But  as  time  goes  on,  and  his  religious  cha- 
racter becomes  formed,  then,  while  he  goes  on  to  per- 
fection in  all  his  duties,  he  takes  upon  himself,  in  the 


Profession  without  Ostentation.  i6i 

number  of  these,  to  witness  for  God  by  word  of  mouth. 
It  is  difficult  to  say  when  a  man  has  leave  openly  to 
rebuke  others  ;  certainly  not  before  he  has  considerable 
humility ;  the  test  of  which  may  be  the  absence  of  a 
feeling  of  triumph  in  doing  it,  a  consciousness  that  he 
is  no  better  by  nature  than  the  person  he  witnesses 
before,  and  that  his  actual  sins  are  such  as  to  deserve  a 
severe  rebuke  were  they  known  to  the  world ;  a  love 
towards  the  person  reproved,  and  a  willingness  to  sub- 
mit to  deserved  censure  in  his  turn.  In  all  this  I  am 
speaking  of  laymen.  It  is  a  clergyman's  duty  to  rebuke 
by  virtue  of  his  office.  And  then,  after  all,  supposing 
it  be  clearly  our  duty  to  manifest  our  religious  profes- 
sion in  this  pointed  way  before  another,  in  order  to  do 
so  modestly  we  must  do  so  kindly  and  cheerfidly,  as 
gently  as  we  can ;  doing  it  as  little  as  we  can  help ;  not 
making  matters  worse  than  they  are,  or  showing  our 
whole  Christian  stature  (or  what  we  think  to  be  such), 
when  we  need  but  put  out  a  hand  (so  to  say)  or  give  a 
glance.  And  above  all  (as  I  have  already  said),  acting 
as  if  we  thought,  nay,  really  thinking,  that  it  may  be 
the  oflPender's  turn  some  day  to  rebuke  us ;  not  putting 
ourselves  above  him,  feeling  our  great  imperfections,  and 
desirous  he  should  rebuke  us,  should  occasion  require  it, 
and  in  prospect  thanking  him;  acting,  that  is,  in  the 
spirit  in  which  you  warn  a  man  in  walking  against 
rugged  ground,  which  may  cause  him  a  fall,  thinking 
him  bound  by  your  friendly  conduct  to  do  the  like 
favour  to  you.  As  to  grave  occasions  of  witnessing 
Christ,  they  will  seldom  occur,  except  a  man  thrust 
himself  into  society  where  he  never  ought  to  have  been, 

[ll  M 


1 62         Profession  without  Ostentation. 

by  neglecting  the  rule,  "  Come  ye  out,  and  be  separate ;" 
and  then  he  has  scarcely  the  right  to  rebuke,  having 
committed  the  first  fault  himself.  This  is  another  cause 
of  our  perplexity  in  witnessing  Christ  before  the  world. 
We  make  friends  of  the  sinful,  and  then  they  have  the 
advantage  over  us. 

To  conclude. — The  question  is  often  raised,  whether  a 
man  can  do  his  duty  simply  and  quietly,  without  being 
thought  ostentatious  by  the  world.  It  is  no  great 
matter  to  himself  whether  he  is  thought  so  or  not,  if  he 
has  not  provoked  the  opinion.  As  a  general  rule,  I 
would  say  the  Church  itself  is  always  hated  and  calum- 
niated by  the  world,  as  being  in  duty  bound  to  make  a 
bold  profession.  But  whether  individual  members  of  the 
Church  are  so  treated,  depends  on  various  circumstances 
in  the  case  of  each.  There  are  persons,  who,  though 
very  strict  and  conscientious  Christians,  are  yet  praised 
by  the  world.  These  are  such,  as  having  great  meekness 
and  humility,  are  not  so  prominent  in  station  or  so 
practically  connected  with  the  world  as  to  offend  it. 
Men  admire  religion,  while  they  can  gaze  on  it  as  a 
picture.  They  think  it  lovely  in  books  :  and  as  long  as 
they  can  look  upon  Christians  at  a  distance,  they  speak 
well  of  them.  The  Jews  in  Christ's  time  built  the 
sepulchres  of  the  prophets  whom  their  fathers  killed  ; 
then  they  themselves  killed  the  Just  One.  They 
"  reverenced  "  the  Son  of  God  before  He  came,  but  when 
their  passions  and  interests  were  stirred  by  His  coming, 
then  they  said,  "  This  is  the  Heir ;  come,  let  us  kill 
Him,  and  the  inheritance  shall  be  ours  ^."     Thus  Chris- 

'  Mark  xiL  1, 


Profession  without  Ostentation.  163 

tians  in  active  life  thwarting  (as  they  do)  the  pride  and 
selfishness  of  the  world,  are  disliked  by  the  world,  and 
have  "  all  manner  of  evil  said  against  them  falsely  for 
Christ's  sake  '/■*  Still,  even  under  these  circumstances, 
though  they  must  not  shrink  from  the  attack  on  a  per- 
sonal account,  it  is  still  their  duty  to  shelter  themselves, 
as  far  as  they  can,  under  the  name  and  authority  of  the 
Holy  Church ;  to  keep  to  its  ordinances  and  rules ;  and, 
if  they  are  called  to  suffer  for  the  Church,  rather  to  be 
drawn  forward  to  the  suffering  in  the  common  course  of 
duty,  than  boldly  to  take  upon  them  the  task  of  defend- 
ing it.  There  is  no  cowardice  in  this.  Some  men  are 
placed  in  posts  of  danger,  and  to  these  danger  comes  in 
the  way  of  duty ;  but  others  must  not  intrude  into  their 
honourable  oflfice.  Thus  in  the  first  age  of  the  Gospel, 
our  Lord  told  His  followers  to  flee  from  city  to  city, 
when  persecuted ;  and  even  the  heads  of  the  Church,  in 
the  early  persecutions,  instead  of  exposing  themselves  to 
the  fury  of  the  heathen,  did  their  utmost  to  avoid  it. 
We  are  a  suffering  people  from  the  first ;  but  while,  on. 
the  one  hand,  we  do  not  defend  ourselves  illegally,  we  do 
not  court  suffering  on  the  other.  "We  must  witness  and 
glorify  God,  as  lights  on  a  hill,  through  evil  report  and 
good  report ;  but  the  evil  and  the  good  report  is  not  so 
much  of  our  own  making  as  the  natural  consequence  of 
our  Christian  profession. 

Who  can  tell  God's  will  concerning  this  tumultuous 
world,  or  how  He  will  dispose  of  it  ?  He  is  tossing  it 
hither  and  thither  in  His  fury,  and  in  its  agitation  He 

»  Matt,  V.  IX. 


164         Profession  without  Ostentation. 

troubles  His  own  people  also.  Only,  this  we  know  for 
our  comfort.  Our  light  shall  never  go  down ;  Christ 
set  it  upon  a  hill,  and  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it. 
The  Church  will  witness  on  to  the  last  for  the  Truth, 
chained  indeed  to  this  world,  its  evil  partner,  but  ever 
foretelling  its  ruin,  though  not  believed,  and  in  the  end 
promised  a  far  different  recompense.  For  in  the  end 
the  Lord  Omnipotent  shall  reign,  when  the  marriage 
of  the  Lamb  shall  come  at  length,  and  His  wife  shall 
make  herself  ready ;  and  to  her  shall  be  granted  "  fine 
linen,  clean  and  white;  for  the  fine  linen  is  the 
righteousness  of  saints*.''  True  and  righteous  are 
His  judgments ;  He  shall  cast  death  and  hell  into  the 
lake  of  fire,  and  avenge  His  own  elect  which  cry  day 
and  night  unto  Him  ! 

"  Blessed  are  they  which  are  called  unto  the  marriage 
supper  of  the  Lamb."  May  all  we  be  in  the  number, 
confessing  Christ  in  this  world,  that  He  may  confess  us 
before  His  Father  in  the  last  day! 

i  Rev.  xix.  6— a. 


SERMON    XIII. 
promising;  toit^out  3Doinfl:* 

"  A  certain  man  had  two  sons  ;  and  he  came  to  the  first,  and  said.  Son, 
go  work  to-day  in  tny  vineyard.  He  answered  and  said,  [  will  not; 
but  aftei-ward  he  repented,  and  went.  And  he  came  to  the  second, 
and  said  likewise.  And  h€  answered  and  said,  I  go,  Sir;  and  went 
not." — Matt.  21.  28-30. 

/^UE  religious  professions  are  at  a  far  greater  distance 
^-^  from  our  acting  upon  them,  than  we  ourselves 
are  aware.  We  know  generally  that  it  is  our  duty  to 
serve  God,  and  we  resolve  we  will  do  so  faithfully.  We 
are  sincere  in  thus  generally  desiring  and  purposing  to 
be  obedient,  and  we  think  we  are  in  earnest;  yet  we 
go  away,  and  presently,  without  any  struggle  of  mind 
or  apparent  change  of  purpose,  almost  without  knowing 
ourselves  what  we  do, — we  go  away  and  do  the  very 
contrary  to  the  resolution  we  have  expressed.  This 
inconsistency  is  exposed  by  our  Blessed  Lord  in  the 
second  part  of  the  parable  which  I  have  taken  for  my 
text.  You  will  observe,  that  in  the  case  of  the  first 
son,  who  said  he  would  not  go  work,  and  yet  did  go, 
it   is    said,  "  afterward  he    repented  ;  "   he  underwent 


1 66  Promising  without  Doing. 

a  positive  change  of  purpose.  But  in  the  case  of  the 
second,  it  is  merely  said,  "  he  answered,  I  go,  Sir ;  and 
went  not ;" — for  here  there  was  no  revolution  of  senti- 
ment, nothing  deliberate;  he  merely  acted  according  to 
his  habitual  frame  of  mind  ;  he  did  not  go  work,  because 
it  was  contrary  to  his  general  character  to  work  ;  only 
he  did  not  know  this.  He  said,  "  I  go,  Sir,"  sincerely, 
from  the  feeling  of  the  moment ;  but  when  the  words 
were  out  of  his  mouth,  then  they  were  forgotten.  It 
was  like  the  wind  blowing  against  a  stream,  which 
seems  for  a  moment  to  change  its  course  in  consequence, 
but  in  fact  flows  down  as  before. 

To  this  subject  I  shall  now  call  your  attention,  as 
drawn  from  the  latter  part  of  this  parable,  passing  over 
the  case  of  the  repentant  son,  which  would  form  a 
distinct  subject  in  itself.  "  He  answered  and  said, 
I  go.  Sir ;  and  went  not.*'  We  promise  to  serve  God  : 
we  do  not  perform;  and  that  not  from  deliberate 
faithlessness  in  the  particular  case,  but  because  it  is 
our  nature,  our  way  not  to  obey,  and  we  do  not  know 
this;  we  do  not  know  ourselves,  or  what  we  are  pro- 
mising. I  will  give  several  instances  of  this  kind  of 
weakness. 

1.  For  instance;  that  of  mistaking  good  feelings  for 
real  religious  principle.  Consider  how  often  this  takes 
place.  It  is  the  case  with  the  young  necessarily,  who 
have  not  been  exposed  to  temptation.  They  have  (we 
will  say)  been  brought  up  religiously,  they  wish  to  be 
religious,  and  so  are  objects  of  our  love  and  interest; 
but  they  think  themselves  far  more  religious  than  they 
really  are.     They  suppose  they  hate  sin,  and  understand 


Promising  without  Doing.  167 

the  Truth,  and  can  resist  the  world,  when  they  hardly 
know  the  meaning"  of  the  words  they  use.  Again,  how 
often  is  a  man  incited  by  cii'cumstances  to  utter  a 
virtuous  wish,  or  propose  a  generous  or  valiant  deed^ 
and  perhaps  applauds  himself  for  his  own  good  feeling, 
and  has  no  suspicion  that  he  is  not  able  to  act  upon  it ! 
In  truth,  he  does  not  understand  where  the  real  dif- 
ficulty of  his  duty  lies.  He  thinks  that  the  charac- 
teristic of  a  religious  man  is  his  having  correct  notions. 
It  escapes  him  that  there  is  a  great  interval  between 
feeling  and  acting.  He  takes  it  for  granted  he  can 
do  what  he  wishes.  He  knows  he  is  a  free  agent,  and 
can  on  the  whole  do  what  he  will ;  but  he  is  not  con- 
scious of  the  load  of  corrupt  nature  and  sinful  habits 
which  hang  upon  his  will,  and  clog  it  in  each  particular 
exercise  of  it.  He  has  borne  these  so  long,  that  he  is 
insensible  to  their  existence.  He  knows  that  in  little 
things,  where  passion  and  inclination  are  excluded,  he 
can  perform  as  soon  as  he  resolves.  Should  he  meet  in 
his  walk  two  paths,  to  the  right  and  left,  he  is  sure  he 
can  take  which  he  will  at  once,  without  any  difficulty ; 
and  he  fancies  that  obedience  to  God  is  not  much 
more  difficult  than  to  turn  to  the  right  instead  of  the 
left. 

2.  One  especial  case  of  this  self-deception  is  seen  in 
delaying  repentance.  A  man  says  to  himself,  "Of 
course,  if  the  worst  comes  to  the  worst,  if  illness  comes, 
or  at  least  old  age,  I  can  repent."  I  do  not  speak  of 
the  dreadful  presumption  of  such  a  mode  of  quieting 
conscience  (though  many  persons  really  use  it  who  do 
not  speak  the  words  out,  or  are  aware  that  they  act 


1 68  Promising  without  Doing. 

upon  it),  but,  merely,  of  the  ignorance  it  evidences  con 
cerning-  our  moral  condition,  and  our  power  of  willing 
and  doing.  If  men  can  repent,  why  do  they  not  do  so 
at  once  ?  they  answer,  that  "  they  intend  to  do  so 
hereafter;''  i.e.  they  do  not  repent  because  they  ca« 
Such  is  their  argument ;  whereas,  the  very  fact  that 
they  do  not  now,  should  make  them  suspect  that  there 
is  a  greater  difference  between  intending  and  doing  than 
they  know  of. 

So  very  difficult  is  obedience,  so  hardly  won  is  every 
step  in  our  Christian  course,  so  sluggish  and  inert  our 
corrupt  nature,  that  I  would  have  a  man  disbelieve  he 
can  do  one  jot  or  tittle  beyond  what  he  has  already 
done ;  refrain  from  borrowing  aught  on  the  hope  of  the 
future,  however  good  a  security  for  it  he  seems  to  be 
able  to  show ;  and  never  take  his  good  feelings  and 
wishes  in  pledge  for  one  single  untried  deed.  Nothing 
but  j9««^  acts  are  the  vouchers  iox  future.  Past  sacrifices, 
past  labours,  past  victories  over  yourselves, — these,  my 
brethren,  are  the  tokens  of  the  like  in  store,  and 
doubtless  of  greater  in  store ;  for  the  path  of  the  just 
is  as  the  shining,  growing  light'.  But  trust  nothing 
short  of  these.  "  Deeds,  not  words  and  wishes,''  this 
must  be  the  watchword  of  your  warfare  and  the  ground 
of  your  assurance.  But  if  you  have  done  nothing  firm 
and  manly  hitherto,  if  you  are  as  yet  the  coward  slave 
of  Satan,  and  the  poor  creature  of  your  lusts  and 
passions,  never  suppose  you  will  one  day  rouse  your- 
selves from  your  indolence.     Alas !  there  are  men  who 

1  Prov.  iv.  18. 


Promising  without  Doing.  169 

walk  the  road  to  hell,  always  the  while  looking-  back  at 
heaven,  and  trembling-  as  they  pace  forward  towards 
their  place  of  doom.  They  hasten  on  as  under  a  spell, 
shrinking  from  the  consequences  of  their  own  deliberate 
doings.  Such  was  Balaam.  What  would  he  have  given 
if  words  and  feelings  might  have  passed  for  deeds ! 
See  how  religious  he  was  so  far  as  profession  goes ! 
How  did  he  revere  God  in  speech !  How  piously 
express  a  desire  to  die  the  death  of  the  righteous ! 
Yet  he  died  in  battle  among  God's  enemies;  not 
suddenly  overcome  by  temptation,  only  on  the  other 
hand,  not  suddenly  turned  to  God  by  his  good  thoughts 
and  fair  purposes.  But  in  this  respect  the  power  of  sin 
differs  from  any  literal  spell  or  fascination,  that  we 
are,  after  all,  willing  slaves  of  it,  and  shall  answer  for 
following  it.  If  ^^our  iniquities,  like  the  wind,  take 
us  away  ^"  yet  we  can  help  this. 

Nor  is  it  only  among  beginners  in  religious  obedience 
that  there  is  this  great  interval  between  promising  and 
performing.  We  can  never  answer  how  we  shall  act 
under  new  circumstances.  A  very  little  knowledge  of 
life  and  of  our  own  hearts  will  teach  us  this.  Men 
whom  we  meet  in  the  world  turn  out,  in  the  course  of 
their  trial,  so  differently  from  what  their  former  con- 
duct promised,  they  view  things  so  differently  before 
they  were  tempted  and  after,  that  we,  who  see  and  won- 
der at  it,  have  abundant  cause  to  look  to  ourselves,  not 
to  be  "  high-minded,"  but  to  "  fear."  Even  the  most 
matured  saints,  those  who  imbibed  in  largest  measure 

^  Isa.  Iziy.  tL 


170  Promising  without  Doing. 

the  power  and  fulness  of  Christ's  Spirit,  and  worked 
righteousness  most  diligently  in  their  day,  could  they 
have  been  thoroughly  scanned  even  by  man,  would  (I 
am  persuaded)  have  exhibited  inconsistencies  such  as  to 
surprise  and  shock  their  most  ardent  disciples.  After 
all,  one  good  deed  is  scarcely  the  pledge  of  another, 
though  I  just  now  said  it  was.  The  best  men  are  un- 
certain ;  they  are  great,  and  they  are  little  again ;  they 
stand  firm,  and  then  fall.  Sucli  is  human  virtue ; — 
reminding  us  to  call  no  one  master  on  earth,  but  to  look 
up  to  our  sinless  and  perfect  Lord;  reminding  us  to 
humble  ourselves,  each  within  himself,  and  to  reflect 
what  we  must  appear  to  God,  if  even  to  ourselves  and 
each  other  we  seem  so  base  and  worthless ;  and  show- 
ing clearly  that  all  who  are  saved,  even  the  least  in- 
consistent of  us,  can  be  saved  only  by  faith,  not  by 
works. 

3.  Here  I  am  reminded  of  another  plausible  form  of 
the  same  eiTor.  It  is  a  mistake  concerning  what  is 
meant  by  faith.  We  know  Scripture  tells  us  that  God 
accepts  those  who  have  faith  in  Him.  Now  the  ques- 
tion is.  What  is  faith,  and  how  can  a  man  tell  that  he 
has  faith  ?  Some  persons  answer  at  once  and  without 
hesitation,  that  "  to  have  faith  is  to  feel  oneself  to  be 
nothing,  and  God  every  thing ;  it  is  to  be  convinced  of 
sin,  to  be  conscious  one  cannot  save  oneself,  and  to  wish 
to  be  saved  by  Christ  our  Lord ;  and  that  it  is,  more- 
over, to  have  the  love  of  Him  warm  in  one's  heart,  and 
to  rtijoice  in  Him,  to  desire  His  glory,  and  to  resolve  to 
live  to  Him  and  not  to  the  world."  But  I  will  answer, 
with  all  due  seriousness,  as  speaking  on  a  serious  sub- 


Promising  without  Doing.  171 

jeetj  that  this  is  not  faith.  Not  that  it  is  not  necessary 
(it  is  very  necessary)  to  be  convinced  that  we  are  laden 
with  infirmity  and  sin^  and  without  health  in  us^  and  to 
look  for  salvation  solely  to  Christ^s  blessed  sacrifice  on 
the  cross ;  and  we  may  well  be  thankful  if  we  are  thus 
minded;  but  that  a  man  may  feel  all  this  that  I  have 
described,  vividly,  and  still  not  yet  possess  one  particle 
of  true  religious  faith.  Why?  Because  there  is  an 
immeasurable  distance  between  feeling  right  and  doing 
right.  A  man  may  have  all  these  good  thoughts  and 
emotions,  yet  (if  he  has  not  yet  hazarded  them  to  the 
experiment  of  practice)  he  cannot  promise  himself  that 
he  has  any  sound  and  permanent  principle  at  all.  If  he 
has  not  yet  acted  upon  them,  we  have  no  voucher, 
barely  on  account  of  them,  to  believe  that  they  are  any 
thing  but  words.  Though  a  man  spoke  like  an  angel, 
I  would  not  believe  him,  on  the  mere  ground  of  his 
speaking.  Nay,  till  he  acts  upon  them,  he  has  not  even 
evidence  to  himself  that  he  has  true  living  faith.  Dead 
faith  (as  St.  James  says)  profits  no  man.  Of  course; 
the  Devils  have  it.  What,  on  the  other  hand  is  living 
faith  ?  Do  fervent  thoughts  make  faith  living  ?  St. 
James  tells  us  otherwise.  He  tells  us  works,  deeds  of 
obedience,  are  the  life  of  faith.  "  As  the  body  without 
the  spirit  is  dead,  so  faith  without  works  is  dead  also  '.■" 
So  that  those  who  think  they  really  believe,  because  they 
have  in  word  and  thought  surrendered  themselves  to 
God,  are  much  too  hasty  in  their  judgment.  They  have 
done  something,  indeed,  but  not  at  all  the  most  difficult 

1  James  ii.  26. 


lyi  Promising  without  Doing. 

part  of  their  duty,  which  is  to  surrender  themselves  to 
God  in  deed  and  act.  They  have  as  yet  done  nothing  to 
show  they  will  not,  after  saying  "  I  go/'  the  next  mo- 
ment "  go  not ;"  nothing  to  show  they  will  not  act  the 
part  of  the  self-deceiving  disciple,  who  said,  "  Though  I 
die  with  Thee,  I  will  not  deny  Thee,"  yet  straightway 
went  and  denied  Christ  thrice.  As  far  as  we  know  any 
thing  of  the  matter,  justifying  faith  has  no  existence 
independent  of  its  particular  definite  acts.  It  may  be 
described  to  be  the  temper  under  which  men  obey; 
the  humble  and  earnest  desire  to  please  Christ  which 
causes  and  attends  on  actual  services.  He  who  does  one 
little  deed  of  obedience,  whether  he  denies  himself  some 
comfort  to  relieve  the  sick  and  needy,  or  curbs  his  temper, 
or  forgives  an  enemy,  or  asks  forgiveness  for  an  offence 
committed  by  him,  or  resists  the  clamour  or  ridicule  of 
the  world  -  such  an  one  (as  far  as  we  are  given  to  judge) 
evinces  more  true  faith  than  could  be  shown  by  the  most 
fluent  religious  conversation,  the  most  intimate  know- 
ledge of  Scripture  doctrine,  or  the  most  remarkable  agi- 
tation and  change  of  religious  sentiments.  Yet  how 
many  are  there  who  sit  still  with  folded  hands,  dreaming, 
doing  nothing  at  all,  thinking  they  have  done  every 
thing,  or  need  do  nothing,  when  they  merely  have  had 
these  good  thoughts,  which  will  save  no  one ! 

My  object  has  been,  as  far  as  a  few  words  can  do  it, 
to  lead  you  to  some  true  notion  of  the  depths  and  deceit- 
fulness  of  the  heart,  which  we  do  not  really  know.  It  is 
easy  to  speak  of  human  nature  as  corrupt  in  the  general, 
to  admit  it  in  the  general,  and  then  get  quit  of  the 
subject;  as  if  the  doctrine  being  once  admitted,  there 


Promising  without  Doing.  173 

was  nothing  more  to  be  done  with  it.  But  in  truth  we 
can  have  no  real  apprehension  of  the  doctrine  of  our 
corruption,  till  we  view  the  structure  of  our  minds,  part 
by  part ;  and  dwell  upon  and  draw  out  the  signs  of  our 
weakness,  inconsistency,  and  ungodliness,  which  are  such 
as  can  arise  from  nothing  else  than  some  strange  original 
defect  in  our  moral  nature. 

1.  Now  it  will  be  well  if  such  self-examination  as  I 
have  suggested  leads  us  to  the  habit  of  constant  depend- 
ence upon  the  Unseen  God,  in  whom  "we  live  and 
move  and  have  our  being.''  We  are  in  the  dark  about 
ourselves.  When  we  act,  we  are  groping  in  the  dark, 
and  may  meet  with  a  fall  any  moment.  Here  and  there, 
perhaps,  we  see  a  little ;  or,  in  our  attempts  to  influence 
and  move  our  minds,  we  are  making  experiments  (as  it 
were)  with  some  delicate  and  dangerous  instrument, 
which  works  we  do  not  know  how,  and  may  produce 
unexpected  and  disastrous  effects.  The  management  of 
our  hearts  is  quite  above  us.  Under  these  circumstances 
it  becomes  our  comfort  to  look  up  to  God.  "  Thou,  God, 
seest  me !"  Such  was  the  consolation  of  the  forlorn 
Haffar  in  the  wilderness.  He  knoweth  whereof  we  are 
made,  and  He  alone  can  uphold  us.  He  sees  with  most 
appalling  distinctness  all  our  sins,  all  the  windings  and 
recesses  of  evil  within  us ;  yet  it  is  our  only  comfort  to 
know  this,  and  to  trust  Him  for  help  against  ourselves. 
To  those  who  have  a  right  notion  of  their  weakness, 
the  thought  of  their  Almighty  Sanctifier  and  Guide  is 
continually  present.  They  believe  in  the  necessity  of  a 
spiritual  influence  to  change  and  strengthen  them,  not 
as  a  mere  abstract  doctrine,  but  as  a  practical  and  most 


174  Promising  withoiit  Doing. 

consolatory  truth,  daily  to  be  fulfilled  in  their  warfare  with 
sin  and  Satan. 

2.  And  this  conviction  of  our  excessive  weakness  must 
further  lead  us  to  try  ourselves  continually  in  little 
things,  in  order  to  prove  our  own  earnestness ;  ever  to  be 
suspicious  of  ourselves,  and  not  only  to  refrain  from 
promising  much,  but  actually  to  put  ourselves  to  the  test 
in  order  to  keep  ourselves  wakeful.  A  sober  mind  never 
enjoys  God^s  blessings  to  the  full;  it  draws  back  and 
refuses  a  portion  to  show  its  command  over  itself.  It 
denies  itself  in  trivial  circumstances,  even  if  nothing  is 
gained  by  denying,  but  an  evidence  of  its  own  sincerity. 
It  makes  trial  of  its  own  professions ;  and  if  it  has  been 
tempted  to  say  any  thing  noble  and  great,  or  to  blame 
another  for  sloth  or  cowardice,  it  takes  itself  at  its  word, 
and  resolves  to  make  some  sacrifice  (if  possible)  in  little 
things,  as  a  price  for  the  indulgence  of  fine  speaking,  or 
as  a  penalty  on  its  censoriousness.  Much  would  be 
gained  if  we  adopted  this  rule  even  in  our  professions  of 
friendship  and  service  one  towards  another;  and  never 
said  a  thing  which  we  were  not  willing  to  do. 

There  is  only  one  place  where  the  Christian  allows 
himself  to  profess  openly,  and  that  is  in  Church.  Here, 
under  the  guidance  of  Apostles  and  Prophets,  he  says 
many  things  boldly,  as  speaking  after  them,  and  as 
before  Him  who  searcheth  the  reins.  There  can  be  no 
harm  in  professing  much  directly  to  God,  because,  while 
we  speak,  we  know  He  sees  through  our  professions,  and 
takes  them  for  what  they  really  are,  prayers.  How 
much,  for  instance,  do  we  profess  when  we  say  the 
Creed !  and  in  the  Collects  we  put  on  the  full  character 


Promising  without  Doing.  175 

of  a  Christian.  We  desire  and  seek  the  best  gifts,  and 
declare  our  strong"  purpose  to  serve  God  with  our  whole 
hearts.  By  doing  this,  we  remind  ourselves  of  our  duty; 
and  withal,  we  humble  ourselves  by  the  taunt  (so  to  call 
it)  of  putting  upon  our  dwindled  and  unhealthy  forms 
those  ample  and  glorious  garments  which  befit  the 
upright  and  full-grown  believer. 

Lastly,  we  see  from  the  parable,  what  is  the  course 
a,nd  character  of  human  obedience  on  the  whole.  There 
are  two  sides  of  it.  I  have  taken  the  darker  side;  the 
case  of  profession  without  practice,  of  saying  "  I  go. 
Sir,''  and  of  not  going.  But  what  is  the  brighter  side  ? 
Nothing  better  than  to  say,  "  I  go  not,''  and  to  repent 
and  go.  The  more  common  condition  of  men  is,  not  to 
know  their  inability  to  serve  God,  and  readily  to  answer 
for  themselves ;  and  so  they  quietly  pass  through  life,  as 
if  they  had  nothing  to  fear.  Their  best  estate,  what  is 
it,  but  to  rise  more  or  less  in  rebellion  against  God,  to 
resist  His  commandments  and  ordinances,  and  then 
poorly  to  make  up  for  the  mischief  they  have  done,  by 
repenting  and  obeying?  Alas!  to  be  alive  as  a  Christian, 
is  nothing  better  than  to  struggle  against  sin,  to  disobey 
and  repent.  There  has  been  but  One  amongst  the  sons 
of  men  who  has  said  and  done  consistently ;  who  said, 
"  I  come  to  do  Thy  will,  O  God,"  and  without  delay  or 
hindrance  did  it.  He  came  to  show  us  what  human 
nature  might  become,  if  carried  on  to  its  perfection. 
Thus  He  teaches  us  to  think  highly  of  our  nature  as 
viewed  in  Him ;  not  (as  some  do)  to  speak  evil  of  our 
nature  and  exalt  ourselves  personally,  but  while  we 
acknowledge  o%r  own  distance  from  heaven,  to  view  our 


176  Promising  without  Doing. 

nature  as  renewed  in  Him,  as  glorious  and  wonderful 
beyond  our  thoughts.  Thus  He  teaches  us  to  be 
hopeful ;  and  encourages  us  while  conscience  abases  us. 
Angels  seem  little  in  honour  and  dignity,  compared  with 
that  nature  which  the  Eternal  Word  has  purified  by  His 
own  union  with  it.  Henceforth,  we  dare  aspire  to  enter 
into  the  heaven  of  heavens,  and  to  live  for  ever  in  God's 
presence,  because  the  first-fruits  of  our  race  is  already 
there  in  the  Person  of  His  Only-begotten  Son. 


SERMON    XIV. 
3Blelio:iou0    (Emotton* 

' '  But  he  spake  the  more  vehemently.  If  I  should  dte  with  Thee,  I  will 
not  deny  Thee  in  any  wise." — Mark.  xiv.  31. 

TT  is  not  my  intention  to  make  St,  Peter^s  fall  the 
■*-  direct  subject  of  our  consideration  to-day,  though  I 
have  taken  this  text;  but  to  suggest  to  you  an  im- 
portant truth,  which  that  fall,  together  with  other  events 
at  the  same  season,  especially  enforces ;  viz.  that  violent 
impulse  is  not  the  same  as  a  firm  determination, — that 
men  may  have  their  religious  feelings  roused,  without 
being  on  that  account  at  all  the  more  likely  to  obey  God 
in  practice,  rather  the  less  likely.  This  important  truth 
is  in  various  ways  brought  before  our  minds  at  the 
season  sacred  to  the  memory  of  Christ's  betrayal  and 
death.  The  contrast  displayed  in  the  Gospels  between 
His  behaviour  on  the  one  hand,  as  the  time  of  His 
crucifixion  drew  near,  and  that  both  of  His  disciples  and 
of  the  Jewish  populace  on  the  other,  is  full  of  instruc- 
tion, if  we  will  receive  it ;  He  steadily  fixing  His  face  to 
endure  those  sufferings  which  were  the  atonement  for 
our  sins,  yet  without  aught  of  mental  excitement  or 
[I]  N 


lyS  Religious  Emotion. 

agitation ;  His  disciples  and  the  Jewish  multitude  first 
protesting  their  devotion  to  Him  in  vehement  language, 
then,  the  one  deserting  Him,  the  other  even  clamouring 
for  His  crucifixion.  He  entered  Jerusalem  in  triumph ; 
the  multitude  cutting  down  branches  of  palm-trees,  and 
strewing  them  in  the  way,  as  in  honour  of  a  king  and 
conqueror'.  He  had  lately  raised  Lazarus  from  the 
dead ;  and  so  great  a  miracle  had  given  Him  great 
temporary  favour  with  the  populace.  Multitudes  flocked 
to  Bethany  to  see  Him  and  Lazarus';  and  when  He  set 
out  for  Jerusalem  where  He  was  to  sufier,  they,  little 
thinking  that  they  would  soon  cry  '^  Crucify  Him," 
went  out  to  meet  Him  with  the  palm-branches,  and 
hailing  Him  as  their  Messiah,  led  Him  on  into  the  holy 
city.  Here  was  an  instance  of  a  popular  excitement. 
The  next  instance  of  excited  feeling  is  found  in  that 
melancholy  self-confidence  of  St.  Peter,  contained  in  the 
text.  When  our  Saviour  foretold  Peter's  trial  and  fall, 
Peter  at  length  "spake  the  more  vehemently.  If  I  should 
die  with  Thee,  I  will  not  deny  Thee  in  any  wise."  Yet  in 
a  little  while  both  the  people  and  the  Apostle  abandoned 
their  Messiah ;  the  ardour  of  their  devotion  had  nm  its 
course. 

Now  it  may,  perhaps,  appear,  as  if  the  circumstance  I 
am  pointing  out,  remarkable  as  it  is,  still  is  one  on 
which  it  is  of  little  use  to  dwell,  in  addressing  a 
mixed  congregation,  on  the  ground  that  most  men  feel 
too  little  about  religion.  And  it  may  be  thence  argued, 
that  the  aim  of  Christian  teaching  rather  should  be  to 

•  Matt.  xxi.  8.     John  xii.  13.  "  John  xii.  1—18. 


Religious  Emotion,  179 

rouse   them   from    insensibility,   than    to    warn   them 
ag-ainst  excess  of  religious  feeling.     I  answer,  that  to 
mistake  mere  transient  emotion,  or  mere  good  thoughts, 
for  obedience,  is  a  far  commoner  deceit  than  at  first  sight 
appears.     How  many  a  man  is  there,  who,  when  his 
conscience  upbraids  him  for  neglect  of  duty,  comforts 
himself  with  the  reflection  that  he  has  never  treated 
the  subject  of  religion  with  open  scorn, — that  he  has 
from  time  to  time  had  serious  thoughts, — that  on  cer- 
tain solemn  occasions  he  has  been  afiected  and  awed, — 
that  he  has  at  times  been  moved  to  earnest  prayer  to 
God, — that  he  has  had  accidentally  some  serious  con- 
versation with  a  friend !     This,  I  say,  is  a  case  of  fre- 
quent occurrence  among  men  called  Christian.     Again, 
there  is  a  further  reason  for  insisting  upon  this  subject. 
No  one  (it  is  plain)  can  be  religious  without  having  his 
heart  in  his  religion ;    his  aflPections  must  be  actively 
engaged  in  it;  and  it  is  the  aim  of  all  Christian  in- 
struction to  promote  this.     But  if  so,  doubtless  there  is 
great  danger  lest  a  perverse  use  should  be  made  of  the 
affections.     In  proportion  as  a  religious  duty  is  diflficult, 
so  is  it  open  to  abuse.     For  the  very  reason,  then,  that 
I  desire  to  make  you  earnest  in  religion,  must  I  also 
warn  you  against  a  counterfeit  earnestness,  which  often 
misleads   men  from  the  plain  path  of  obedience,  and 
which  most  men  are  apt  to  fall  into  just  on  their  first 
awakening  to  a  serious  consideration  of  their  duty.     It  is 
not  enough  to  bid  you  to  sei*ve  Christ  in  faith,  fear,  love, 
and  gratitude;  care  must  be  taken  that  it  is  the  faith, 
fear,  love,  and  gratitude  of  a  sound  mind.    That  vehement 
tumult  of  zeal  which  St.  Peter  felt  before  his  trial  failed 


i8o  Reli^ous  Emotion. 

him  under  it.  That  open-mouthed  admiration  of  the 
populace  at  our  Saviour's  miracle  was  suddenly  changed 
to  blasphemy.  This  may  happen  now  as  then ;  and  it 
often  happens  in  a  way  distressing  to  the  Christian 
teacher.  He  finds  it  is  far  easier  to  interest  men  in  the 
subject  of  religion  (hard  though  this  he),  than  to  rule 
the  spirit  which  he  has  excited.  His  hearers,  when 
their  attention  is  gained,  soon  begin  to  think  he  does 
not  go  far  enough ;  then  they  seek  means  which  he  will 
not  supply,  of  encouraging  and  indulging  their  mere 
feelings  to  the  neglect  of  humble  practical  efforts  to 
serve  God.  After  a  time,  like  the  multitude,  they  sud- 
denly turn  round  to  the  world,  abjuring  Christ  alto- 
gether, or  denying  Him  with  Peter,  or  gradually  sinking 
into  a  mere  form  of  obedience,  while  they  still  think 
themselves  true  Christians,  and  secure  of  the  favour  of 
Almighty  God. 

Eor  these  reasons  I  think  it  is  as  important  to  warn 
men  against  impetuous  feelings  in  religion,  as  to  urge 
them  to  give  their  heart  to  it.  I  proceed  therefore  to 
explain  more  fully  what  is  the  connexion  between  strong 
emotions  and  sound  Christian  principle,  and  how  far 
they  are  consistent  with  it. 

Now  that  perfect  state  of  mind  at  which  we  must 
aim,  and  which  the  Holy  Spirit  imparts,  is  a  deliberate 
preference  of  God's  service  to  every  thing  else,  a  deter- 
mined resolution  to  give  up  all  for  Him  j  and  a  love  for 
Him,  not  tumultuous  and  passionate,  but  such  love  as 
a  child  bears  towards  his  parents,  calm,  full,  reverent, 
contemplative,  obedient.  Here,  however,  it  may  be 
objected,   that   this   is   not  always   possible :    that   we 


Religious  Emotion,  i8i 

cannot  help  feeling  emotion  at  times ;  that  even  to  take 
the  ease  of  parents  and  children,  a  man  is  at  certain 
times  thrown  out  of  that  quiet  affection  which  he  bears 
towards  his  father  and  mother,  and  is  agitated  by 
various  feelings ;  again,  that  zeal,  for  instance,  though 
a  Christian  virtue,  is  almost  inseparable  from  ardour 
and  passion.  To  this  I  reply,  that  I  am  not  describing 
the  state  of  mind  to  which  any  one  of  us  has  attained^ 
when  I  say  it  is  altogether  calm  and  meditative,  but 
that  which  is  the  perfect  state,  that  which  we  should 
aim  at.  I  know  it  is  often  impossible,  for  various 
reasons,  to  avoid  being  agitated  and  excited;  but  the 
question  before  us  is,  whether  we  should  think  highly 
of  violent  emotion,  whether  we  should  encourage  it. 
Doubtless  it  is  no  sin  to  feel  at  times  passionately  on 
the  subject  of  religion ;  it  is  natural  in  some  men,  and 
under  certain  circumstances  it  is  praiseworthy  in  others. 
But  these  are  accidents.  As  a  general  rule,  the  more 
religious  men  become,  the  calmer  they  become ;  and  at 
all  times  the  religious  principle,  viewed  by  itself,  is 
calm,  sober,  and  deliberate. 

Let  us  review  some  of  the  accidental  circumstances  I 
speak  of. 

1.  The  natural  tempers  of  men  vary  very  much. 
Some  men  have  ardent  imaginations  and  strong  feel- 
ings; and  adopt,  as  a  matter  of  course,  a  vehement 
mode  of  expressing  themselves.  No  doubt  it  is  impos- 
sible to  make  all  men  think  and  feel  alike.  Such  men 
of  course  may  possess  deep-rooted  principle.  All  I 
would  maintain  is,  that  their  ardour  does  not  of  itself 
make  their  faith  deeper  and  more  genuine;  that  they 


1 82  Religious  Emotion. 

must  not  think  themselves  better  than  others  on  ac- 
count of  it ;  that  they  must  be  aware  of  considering  it 
a  proof  of  their  real  earnestness,  instead  of  narrowly 
searching  into  their  conduct  for  the  satisfactory  fruits 
of  faith. 

2.  Next,  there  are,  besides,  particular  occasions  on 
which  excited  feeling  is  natural,  and  even  commendable; 
but  not  for  its  own  sake,  but  on  account  of  the  peculiar 
circumstances  under  which  it  occurs.  For  instance,  it 
is  natural  for  a  man  to  feel  especial  remorse  at  his  sins 
when  he  first  begins  to  think  of  religion ;  he  ought  to 
feel  bitter  sorrow  and  keen  repentance.  But  all  such 
emotion  evidently  is  not  the  highest  state  of  a  Chris- 
tianas mind ;  it  is  but  the  first  stirring  of  grace  in  him. 
A  sinner,  indeed,  can  do  no  better;  but  in  proportion 
as  he  learns  more  of  the  power  of  true  religion,  such 
agitation  will  wear  away.  What  is  this  but  saying, 
that  change  of  mind  is  only  the  inchoate  state  of  a 
Christian  ?  Who  doubts  that  sinners  are  bound  to 
repent  and  turn  to  God?  yet  the  Angels  have  no  re- 
pentance ;  and  who  denies  their  peacefulness  of  soul  to 
be  a  higher  excellence  than  ours?  The  woman  who 
had  been  a  sinner,  when  she  came  behind  our  Lord  wept 
much,  and  washed  His  feet  with  tears'.  It  was  well 
done  in  her ;  she  did  what  she  could ;  and  was  honoured 
with  our  Saviour's  praise.  Yet  it  is  clear  this  was  not 
a  permanent  state  of  mind.  It  was  but  the  first  step  in 
religion,  and  would  doubtless  wear  away.  It  was  but 
the  accident  of  a  season.     Had  her  faith  no  deeper  root 

i  LokeviLSS. 


Religious  Emotion.  183 

than  this  emotion,  it  would  soon  have  come  to  an  end, 
as  Peter's  zeal. 

In  like  manner,  whenever  we  fall  into  sin,  (and  how 
often  is  this  the  ease  !)  the  truer  our  faith  is,  the  more 
we  shall  for  the  time  be  distressed,  perhaps  agitated. 
No  doubt ;  yet  it  would  be  a  strange  procedure  to  make 
much  of  this  disquietude.  Though  it  is  a  bad  sign  if 
we  do  not  feel  it  (according  to  our  mental  temperament), 
yet  if  we  do,  what  then  ?  It  argues  no  high  Christian 
excellence ;  I  repeat  it,  it  is  but  the  virtue  of  a  very 
imperfect  state.  Bad  is  the  best  offering  we  can  offer  to 
God  after  sinning.  On  the  other  hand,  the  more  con- 
sistent our  habitual  obedience,  the  less  we  shall  be  subject 
to  such  feelings. 

3,  And  further,  the  accidents  of  life  will  occasionally 
agitate  us  :  —  affliction  and  pain ;  bad  news ;  though 
here,  too,  the  Psalmist  describes  the  higher  excellence  of 
the  mind,  via.  the  calm  confidence  of  the  believer,  who 
"  will  not  be  afraid  of  any  evil  tidings,  for  his  heart 
standeth  fast,  and  believeth  in  the  Lord  ^."  Times  of 
persecution  will  agitate  the  mind ;  circumstances  of 
especial  interest  in  the  fortunes  of  the  Church  will  cause 
anxiety  and  fear.  We  see  the  influence  of  some  of  these 
causes  in  various  parts  of  St.  Paul's  Epistles.  Such 
emotion,  however,  is  not  the  essence  of  true  faith,  though 
it  accidentally  accompanies  it.  In  times  of  distress  re- 
ligious men  will  speak  more  openly  on  the  subject  of 
religion,  and  lay  bare  their  feelings ;  at  other  times  they 
will  conceal  them.  They  are  neither  better  nor  worse 
for  so  doing. 

'     Ps.  cxii.  7- 


1 84  Religious  Emotion. 

Now  all  this  may  be  illustrated  from  Scripture.     We 
find  the  same  prayers  offered,  and  the  same  resolutions 
expressed  by  good  men,  sometimes  in  a  calm  way,  some- 
times with  more  ardour.     How  quietly  and  simply  does 
Agur  offer  his  prayer  to  God !     "  Two   things  have  I 
required  of  Thee  ;  deny  me  them  not  before  I  die.     Re- 
move  far  from  me  vanity  and  lies;    give  me   neither 
poverty  nor  riches ;  feed  me  with  food  convenient  for 
me.^'     St.  Paul,  on  the  other  hand,  with  greater  fer- 
vency, because  he  was  in  more  distressing  circumstances, 
but  with  not  more  acceptableness  on  that  account  in 
God''s  sight,  says,  "  I  have  learned  in  whatsoever  state  I 
am,  therewith  to  be  content.     I  know  both  how  to  be 
abased,  and  I  know  how  to  abound  •''  and  so  he  pro- 
ceeds.    Again,  Joshua  says,  simply  but  firmly,  "  As  for 
me  and  my  house,  we  will  serve  the  Lord."     St.  Paul 
says  as  firmly,  but  with  more  emotion,  when  his  friends 
besought  him  to  keep  away  from  Jerusalem  : — "  What 
mean  ye  to  weep  and  to  break  mine  heart  ?  for  I  am  ready 
not  to  be  bound  only,  but  also  to  die  at  Jerusalem  for 
the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus."     Observe  how  calm  Job 
is  in  his  resignation :  "  The  Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord 
hath  taken  away;  blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord." 
And  on  the  other  hand,  how  calmly  that  same  Apostle 
expresses  his  assurance  of  salvation  at  the  close  of  his 
life,  who,  during  the  struggle,  was  accidentally  agitated  : 

— "  I  am  now  ready  to  be  offered I  have  kept 

the  faith.     Henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of 
righteousness '."  ^^^i* 

'  Prov.  XXX.  7,  8.     Phil.  iv.  11,  12.     Josh.  xxiv.  15.     Acts  xxi.  \%, 
Job  i.  21.    2  Tim.  iv.  6—8. 


Religious  Emotion.  185 

These  remarks  may  suffice  to  show  the  relation  which 
excited  feelings  bear  to  true  religious  principle.  They 
are  sometimes  natural,  sometimes  suitable ;  but  they  are 
not  religion  itself.  They  come  and  go.  They  are  not 
to  be  coimted  on,  or  encouraged ;  for,  as  in  St.  Peter's 
case,  they  may  supplant  true  faith,  and  lead  to  self- 
deception.  They  will  gradually  lose  their  place  within  us 
as  our  obedience  becomes  confirmed; — partly  because 
those  men  are  kept  in  perfect  peace,  and  sheltered  from 
all  agitating  feelings,  whose  minds  are  stayed  on  God  ' ; 
— partly  because  these  feelings  themselves  are  fixed  into 
habits  by  the  power  of  faith,  and  instead  of  coming  and 
going,  and  agitating  the  mind  from  their  suddenness, 
they  are  permanently  retained  so  far  as  there  is  any 
thing  good  in  them,  and  give  a  deeper  colour  and  a  more 
energetic  expression  to  the  Christian  character. 

Now,  it  will  be  observed,  that  in  these  remarks  I  have 
taken  for  granted,  as  not  needing  proof,  that  the  highest 
Christian  temper  is  free  from  all  vehement  and  tumul- 
tuous feeling.  But,  if  we  wish  some  evidence  of  this, 
let  us  turn  to  our  Great  Pattern,  Jesus  Christ,  and  exa- 
mine what  was  the  character  of  that  perfect  holiness 
which  He  alone  of  all  men  ever  displayed. 

And  can  we  find  any  where  such  calmness  and  sim- 
plicity as  marked  His  devotion  and  His  obedience  ? 
When  does  He  ever  speak  with  fervour  or  vehemence  ? 
Or,  if  there  be  one  or  two  words  of  His  in  His  myste- 
rious agony  and  death,  characterized  by  an  energy  which 
we  do  not  comprehend,  and  which  sinners  must  silently 

)  lea.  xxri.  8. 


1 86  Religious  Emotion. 

adore,  still  how  conspicuous  and  undeniable  is  His  com- 
posure in  the  general  tenour  of  His  words  and  conduct ! 
Consider  the  prayer  He  gave  us ;  and  this  is  the  more  to 
the  purpose,  for  the  very  reason  that  He  has  given  it  as 
a  model  for  our  worship.  How  plain  and  unadorned  is 
it !  How  few  are  the  words  of  it !  How  grave  and 
solemn  the  petitions !  What  an  entire  absence  of  tumult 
and  feverish  emotion !  Surely  our  own  feelings  tell  us, 
it  could  not  be  otherwise.  To  suppose  it  otherwise  were 
an  irreverence  towards  Him. — At  another  time  when  He 
is  said  to  have  "  rejoiced  in  spirit,"  His  thanksgiving 
is  marked  with  the  same  undisturbed  tranquility.  "  I 
thank  Thee,  0  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  that 
Thou  hast  hid  these  things  from  the  wise  and  prudent, 
and  hast  revealed  them  unto  babes.  Even  so,  Father, 
for  so  it  seemed  good  in  Thy  sight." — Again,  think  of 
His  prayer  in  the  garden.  He  then  was  in  distress  of 
mind  beyond  our  understanding.  Something  there  was, 
we  know  not  what,  which  weighed  heavy  upon  Him. 
He  prayed  He  might  be  spared  the  extreme  bitterness 
of  His  trial.  Yet  how  subdued  and  how  concise  is  His 
petition !  "  Abba,  Father,  all  things  are  possible  unto 
Thee :  take  away  this  cup  from  Me ;  nevertheless,  not 
what  I  will,  but  what  Thou  wilt  ^. "  And  this  is  but  one 
instance,  though  a  chief  one,  of  that  deep  tranquility 
of  mind,  which  is  conspicuous  throughout  the  solemn 
history  of  the  Atonement.  Eead  the  thirteenth  chapter 
of  St.  John,  in  which  He  is  described  as  washing  His 
disciples'  feet,  Peter's  in  particular.     Eeflect  upon  His 

1  Luke  X.  21.     Mark  sdv.  86. 


Religious  I^motion.  187 

serious  words  addressed  at  several  times  to  Judas  who 
betrayed  Him ;  and  His  conduct  when  seized  by  His 
enemies,  when  brought  before  Pilate,  and  lastly,  when 
suffering  on  the  cross.  When  does  He  set  us  an  ex 
ample  of  passionate  devotion,  of  enthusiastic  wishes,  or 
of  intemperate  words  ? 

Such  is  the  lesson  our  Saviour's  conduct  teaches  us. 
Now  let  me  remind  you  how  diligently  we  are  taught 
the  same  by  our  own  Church.  Christ  gave  us  a  prayer 
to  guide  us  in  praying  to  the  Father;  and  upon  this 
model  our  own  Liturgy  is  strictly  formed.  You  will 
look  in  vain  in  the  Prayer  Book  for  long  or  vehement 
Prayers ;  for  it  is  only  upon  occasions  that  agitation  of 
mind  is  right,  but  there  is  ever  a  call  upon  us  for 
seriousness,  gravity,  simplicity,  deliberate  trust,  deep- 
seated  humility.  Many  persons,  doubtless,  think  the 
Church  prayers,  for  this  very  reason,  cold  and  formal. 
They  do  not  discern  their  high  perfection,  and  they 
think  they  could  easily  write  better  prayers.  When 
such  opinions  are  advanced,  it  iss  quite  sufficient  to 
turn  our  thoughts  to  our  Saviour's  precept  and  ex- 
ample. It  cannot  be  denied  that  those  who  thus 
speak,  ought  to  consider  our  Lord's  prayer  defective; 
and  sometimes  they  are  profane  enough  to  think  so, 
and  to  confess  they  think  so.  But  I  pass  this  by. 
Granting  for  argument's  sake  His  precejots  were  in- 
tentionally defective,  as  delivered  before  the  Holy 
Ghost  descended,  yet  what  will  they  say  to  His  ex~ 
ample?  Can  even  the  fullest  light  of  the  Gospel 
revealed  after  His  resurrection,  bring  us  His  followers 
into  the  remotest  resemblance  to  our  Blessed   Lord's 


1 88  Religious  Emotion. 

holiness?  yet  how  calm  was  He,  who  was  perfect  man, 
in  His  own  obedience  ! 

To  conclude  : — Let  us  take  warning  from  St.  Peter's 
fall.  Let  us  not  promise  much ;  let  us  not  talk  much 
of  ourselves ;  let  us  not  be  high-minded,  nor  encourage 
ourselves  in  impetuous  bold  language  in  religion.  Let 
us  take  warning,  too,  from  that  fickle  multitude  who 
cried,  first  Hosanna,  then  Crucify.  A  miracle  startled 
them  into  a  sudden  adoration  of  their  Saviour; — its 
effect  upon  them  soon  died  awa)\  And  thus  the  especial 
mercies  of  God  sometimes  excite  us  for  a  season.  We 
feel  Christ  speaking  to  us  through  our  consciences  and 
hearts ;  and  we  fancy  He  is  assuring  us  we  are  His  true 
servants,  when  He  is  but  calling  on  us  to  receive  Him. 
Let  us  not  be  content  with  saying  '^  Lord,  Lord,'' 
without  "doing  the  thing  which  He  says.''  The 
husbandman's  son  who  said,  "  I  go,  sir,"  yet  went 
not  to  the  vineyard,  gained  nothing  by  his  fair  words. 
One  secret  act  of  self-denial,  one  sacrifice  of  inclination 
to  duty,  is  worth  all  the  mere  good  thoughts,  warm 
feelings,  passionate  prayers,  in  which  idle  people  indulge 
themselves.  It  will  give  us  more  comfort  on  our  death- 
bed to  reflect  on  one  deed  of  self-denying  mercy,  purity, 
or  humility,  than  to  recollect  the  shedding  of  many  tears, 
and  the  recurrence  of  frequent  transports,  and  much 
spiritual  exultation.  These  latter  feelings  come  and  go; 
they  may  or  may  not  accompany  hearty  obedience; 
they  are  never  tests  of  it;  but  good  actions  are  the 
fruits  of  faith,  and  assure  us  that  we  are  Christ's ;  they 
comfort  us  as  an  evidence  of  the  Spirit  working  in  us. 
By  them  we  shall  be  judged  at  the  last  day;  and  though 


Religious  Emotion.  189 

they  have  no  worth  in  themselves,  by  reason  of  that 
infection  of  sin  which  gives  its  character  to  every  thing 
we  doj  yet  they  will  be  accepted  for  His  sake,  who 
bore  the  agony  in  the  garden,  and  suffered  as  a  sinner 
on  the  cross. 


SERMON    XV. 
IReliffioujsf  fait^  EationaL 

"  He  staggered  not  at  the  promise  of  God  through  unbelief;  but  was 
strong  in  faith,  giving  glory  to  God :  and  being  fully  persuaded 
that,  what  He  had  promised.  He  was  able  also  to  perform." — 
Rom.  iv.  20,  21. 

fllHERE  are  serious  men  who  are  in  the  habit  of  des- 
-^  cribing  Christian  Faith  as  a  feeling  or  a  principle 
such  as  ordinary  persons  cannot  enter  into  ;  a  something 
strange  and  peculiar  in  its  very  nature,  different  in  kind 
from  every  thing  that  affects  and  influences  us  in  mat- 
ters of  this  world,  and  not  admitting  any  illustration 
from  our  conduct  in  them.  They  consider  that,  because 
it  is  a  spiritual  gift,  and  heavenly  in  its  origin,  it  is 
therefore  altogether  superhuman ;  and  that  to  compare 
it  with  any  of  our  natural  principles  or  feelings,  is  to 
think  unworthily  of  it.  And  thus  they  lead  others,  who 
wish  an  excuse  for  their  own  irreligious  lives,  to  speak 
of  Christian  Faith  as  extravagant  and  irrational,  as  if 
it  were  a  mere  fancy  or  feeling,  which  some  persons  had 
and  others  had  not ;  and  which,  accordingly,  could  only, 
and  would  necessarily,  be  felt  by  those  who  were  disposed 
that  certain  way.     Now,  that  the  object  on  which  Faith 


Religious  Faith  Rational.  191 

fixes  onr  thoughts,  that  the  doctrines  of  Scripture  are 
most  marvellous  and  exceeding  in  glory,  unheard  and 
unthought  of  elsewhere,  is  quite  true ;  and  it  is  also  true 
that  no  mind  of  man  will  form  itself  to  a  habit  of  Faith 
without  the  preventing  and  assisting  influences  of  Di- 
vine Grace.  But  it  is  not  at  all  true  that  Faith  itself, 
i.  e.  Trust,  is  a  strange  principle  of  action ;  and  to  say 
that  it  is  irrational  is  even  an  absurdity.  I  mean  such 
a  Faith  as  that  of  Abraham,  mentioned  ic  the  text,  which 
led  him  to  believe  God's  word  when  opposed  to  his  own 
experience.  And  it  shall  now  be  my  endeavour  to  show 
this. 

To  hear  some  men  speak  (I  mean  men  who  scoff  at 
religion),  it  might  be  thought  we  never  acted  on  Faith 
or  Trust,  except  in  religious  matters;  whereas  we  are 
acting  on  trust  every  hour  of  our  lives.  When  faith  is  said 
to  be  a  religious  principle,  it  is  (I  repeat)  the  things  be- 
lieved, not  the  act  of  believing  them,  which  is  peculiar  to 
religion.     Let  us  take  some  examples. 

It  is  obvious  that  we  trust  to  our  memory.  We  do 
not  now  witness  what  we  saw  yesterday  ;  yet  we  have  no 
doubt  it  took  place  in  the  way  we  remember.  We  recol- 
lect clearly  the  circumstances  of  morning  and  afternoon. 
Our  confidence  in  our  memory  is  so  strong  that  a  man 
might  reason  with  us  all  day  long,  without  persuading 
us  that  we  slept  through  the  day,  or  that  we  returned 
from  a  long  journey,  when  our  memory  deposes  other- 
wise. Thus  we  have  faith  in  our  memory ;  yet  what  is 
irrational  here  ? 

Again,  even  when  we  use  reasoning,  and  are  convinced 
of  any  thing  by  reasoning,  what  is  it  but  that  we  trust 


192  Religious  Faith  Rational. 

the  general  soundness  of  our  reasoning  powers?  From 
knowing-  one  thing  we  think  we  can  be  sure  about 
another,  even  though  we  do  not  see  it.  Who  of  us 
would  doubt,  on  seeing  strong  shadows  on  the  ground, 
that  the  sun  was  shining  out,  though  our  face  happened 
to  be  turned  the  other  way?  Here  is  faith  without 
sight ;  but  there  is  nothing  against  reason  here,  unless 
*^ason  can  be  against  itself. 

And  what  I  wish  you  particularly  to  observe,  is,  that 
we  continually  trust  our  memory  and  our  reasoning 
powers  in  this  way,  though  they  often  deceive  us.  This 
is  worth  observing,  because  it  is  sometimes  said  that 
we  cannot  be  certain  that  our  faith  in  religion  is  not  a 
mistake.  I  say  our  memory  and  reason  often  deceive 
us ;  yet  no  one  says  it  is  therefore  absurd  and  irrational 
to  continue  to  trust  them;  and  for  this  plain  reason, 
because  on  the  whole  they  are  true  and  faithful  wit- 
nesses, because  it  is  only  at  times  that  they  mislead  us ; 
so  that  the  chance  is,  that  they  are  right  in  this  case  or 
that,  which  happens  to  be  before  us ;  and  (again)  be- 
cause in  all  practical  matters  we  are  obliged  to  dwell 
upon  not  what  may  be  possibly,  but  what  is  likely  to  be. 
In  matters  of  daily  life,  we  have  no  time  for  fastidious 
and  perverse  fancies  about  the  minute  chances  of  our 
being  deceived.  We  are  obliged  to  act  at  once,  or  we 
should  cease  to  live.  There  is  a  chance  (it  cannot  be 
denied)  that  our  food  to-day  may  be  poisonous, — we 
cannot  be  quite  certain, — but  it  looks  the  same  and  tastes 
the  same,  and  we  have  good  friends  round  us ;  so  we  do 
not  abstain  from  it,  for  all  this  chance,  though  it  is 
real.      This  necessity  of   acting   promptly  is  our  hap- 


Religious  Faith  Rational.  193 

piness  in  this  world^s  matters;  in  the  concerns  of  a 
future  life,  alas !  we  have  time  for  carnal  and  restless 
thoughts  about  possibilities.  And  this  is  our  trial ;  and 
it  will  be  our  condemnation,  if  with  the  experience  of 
the  folly  of  such  idle  fancyings  about  what  may  be,  in 
matters  of  this  life,  we  yet  indulge  them  as  regards  the 
future.  If  it  be  said,  that  we  sometimes  do  distrust 
our  reasoning  powers,  for  instance,  when  they  lead  us  to 
some  unexpected  conclusion,  or  again  our  memory,  when 
another^s  memory  contradicts  it,  this  only  shows  that 
there  are  things  which  we  should  be  weak  or  hasty  in 
believing ;  which  is  quite  true.  Doubtless  there  is  such 
a  fault  as  credulity,  or  believing  too  readily  and  too  much 
(and  this,  in  religion,  we  call  superstition);  but  this 
neither  shows  that  all  trust  is  irrational,  nor  again  that 
trust  is  necessarily  irrational,  which  is  founded  on  what 
is  but  likely  to  be,  and  may  be  denied  withoiit  an  actual 
absurdity.  Indeed,  when  we  come  to  examine  the  sub- 
ject, it  will  be  found  that,  strictly  speaking,  we  know 
little  more  than  that  we  exist,  and  that  there  is  an  Un- 
seen Power  whom  we  are  bound  to  obey.  Beyond  this 
we  must  trust;  and  first  our  senses,  memory,  and  rea- 
soning powers  ;  then  other  authorities  : — so  that,  in'  fact, 
almost  all  we  do,  every  day  of  our  lives,  is  on  trust,  i.  e. 
faith. 

But  it  may  be  said,  that  belief  in  these  informants, 
our  senses,  and  the  like,  is  not  what  is  commonly  meant 
by  faith  ; — that  to  trust  our  senses  and  reason  is  in 
fact  nothing  more  than  to  trust  ourselves ;— and  though 
these  do  sometimes  mislead  us,  yet  they  are  so  contin- 
ually about  us,  and  so  at  command,  that  we  can  use 
[I]  0 


1 94  Religious  Faith  Rational. 

them  to  correct  each  other ;  so  that  on  the  whole  we 
gain  from  these  the  truth  of  things  quite  well  enough 
to  act  upon ; — that  on  the  other  hand  it  is  a  very  dif- 
ferent thing  from  this  to  trust  another  person;  and 
that  faith,  in  the  Scripture  sense  of  the  word,  is  trusting 
another,  and  therefore  is  not  proved  to  be  rational  by  the 
foregoing  illustrations. 

Let  us,  then,  understand  faith  in  this  sense  of  reliance 
on  the  words  of  another,  as  opposed  to  trust  in  oneself. 
This  is  the  common  meaning  of  the  word,  I  grant ; — as 
when  we  contrast  it  to  sight  and  to  reason ;  and  yet  what 
I  have  already  said  has  its  use  in  reminding  men  who 
are  eager  for  demonstration  in  matters  of  religion,  that 
there  are  difficulties  in  matters  of  sense  and  reasoning 
also.  But  to  proceed  as  I  have  proposed. — It  is  easy  to 
show,  that,  even  considering  faith  as  trust  in  another,  it 
is  no  irrational  or  strange  principle  of  conduct  in  the 
concerns  of  this  life. 

For  when  we  consider  the  subject  attentively,  how  few 
things  there  are  which  we  can  ascertain  for  ourselves  by 
our  own  senses  and  reason  !  After  all,  what  do  we  know 
without  trusting  others  ?  We  know  that  we  are  in  a 
certain  state  of  health,  in  a  certain  place,  have  been  alive 
for  a  certain  number  of  years,  have  certain  principles 
and  likings,  have  certain  persons  around  us,  and  perhaps 
have  in  our  lives  travelled  to  certain  places  at  a  distance. 
But  what  do  we  know  more  ?  Are  there  not  towns  (we 
will  say)  within  fifty  or  sixty  miles  of  us  which  we  have 
never  seen,  and  which,  nevertheless,  we  fully  believe  to 
be  as  we  have  heard  them  described  ?  To  extend  our 
view ; — we  know  that  land  stretches  in  every  direction 


Religious  Faith  Rational.  195 

of  us^  a  certain  number  of  miles,  and  then  there  is  sea 
on  all  sides ;  that  we  are  in  an  island.  But  who  has 
seen  the  land  all  around,  and  has  proved  for  himself 
that  the  fact  is  so  ?  What,  then,  convinces  us  of  it  ? 
the  report  of  others, — this  trust,  this  faith  in  testimony 
which,  when  religion  is  concerned,  then,  and  only  then, 
the  proud  and  sinful  would  fain  call  irrational. 

And  what  I  have  instanced  in  one  set  of  facts,  which 
we  believe,  is  equally  true  of  numberless  others,  of  almost 
all  of  those  which  we  think  we  know. 

Consider  how  men  in  the  business  of  life,  nay,  all  of 
us,  confide,  are  obliged  to  confide,  in  persons  we  never 
saw,  or  know  but  slightly  ;  nay,  in  their  hand-writings, 
which,  for  what  we  know,  may  be  forged^  if  we  are  to 
speculate  and  fancy  what  may  he.  We  act  upon  oui 
trust  in  them  implicitly,  because  common  sense  tells  us, 
that  with  proper  caution  and  discretion,  faith  in  others 
is  perfectly  safe  and  rational.  Scripture,  then,  only  bids 
us  act  in  respect  to  a  future  life,  as  we  are  every  day 
acting  at  present.  Or,  again,  how  certain  we  all  are 
(when  we  think  on  the  subject)  that  we  must  sooner  or 
later  die.  No  one  seriously  thinks  he  can  escape  death ; 
and  men  dispose  of  their  property  and  arrange  their 
affairs,  confidently  contemplating,  not  indeed  the  exact 
time  of  their  death,  still  death  as  sooner  or  later  to  befall 
them.  Of  course  they  do ;  it  would  be  most  irrational 
in  them  not  to  expect  it.  Yet  observe,  what  proof  has 
any  one  of  us  that  he  shall  die  ?  because  other  men  die  ? 
how  does  he  know  that  ?  has  he  seen  them  die  ?  he  can 
know  nothing  of  what  took  place  before  he  was  born, 
nor  of  what  haippens  in  other  countries.      How  little^ 


ig6  Religious  Faith  Rational, 

indeed,  he  knows  about  it  at  all,  except  that  it  is  a  re- 
ceived fact,  and  except  that  it  would,  in  truth,  be  idle 
to  doubt  what  mankind  as  a  whole  witness,  though 
each  individual  has  only  his  proportionate  share  in  the 
universal  testimony !  And,  further,  we  constantly  be- 
lieve things  even  ag-ainst  our  own  judgment;  i.  e.  when 
we  think  our  informant  likely  to  know  more  about  the 
matter  under  consideration  than  ourselves,  which  is  the 
precise  case  in  the  question  of  religious  faith.  And  thus 
from  reliance  on  others  we  acquire  knowledge  of  all 
kinds,  and  proceed  to  reason,  judge,  decide,  act,  form 
plans  for  the  future.  And  in  all  this  (I  say)  trust  is  at 
the  bottom ;  and  this  the  world  calls  prudence  (and 
rightly)  ;  and  not  to  trust  and  act  upon  trust,  impru- 
dence, or  (it  may  be)  headstrong  folly,  or  madness. 

But  it  is  needless  to  proceed  ;  the  world  could  not  go  on 
without  trust.  The  most  distressing  event  that  can  happen 
to  a  state  is  (we  know)  the  spreading  of  a  want  of  confi- 
dence between  man  and  man.  Distrust,  want  of  faith, 
breaks  the  very  bonds  of  human  society.  Now,  then,  shall 
we  account  it  only  rational  for  a  man,  when  he  is  ignorant, 
to  believe  his  fellow-man,  nay,  to  yield  to  another's  judg- 
ment as  better  than  his  own,  and  yet  think  it  against 
reason  when  one,  like  Abraham,  gives  ear  to  the  Word  of 
God,  and  sets  the  promise  of  God  above  his  own  short- 
sighted expectation  ?  Abraham,  it  is  true,  rested  in  hope 
beyond  hope,  in  the  hope  afforded  by  a  Divine  promise 
beyond  that  hope  suggested  by  nature.  He  had  fancied 
he  never  should  have  a  son,  and  God  promised  him  a 
son.  But  might  he  not  well  address  those  self- wise  per- 
sons who  neglect  to  walk  in  the  steps  of  his  faith,  in  the 


Religious  Faith  Rational.  J  97 

langpuage  of  just  reproof?  "  If  we  receive  the  witness 
of  men  "  (he  might  "well  urge  with  the  Apostle) ,  "  the 
witness  of  God  is  greater  ^J"  Therefore,  he  "  staggered 
not  at  the  promise  of  God  through  unbelief,  but  was 
strong  in  faith,  giving  glory  to  God,  and  being  fully 
persuaded  that  what  He  had  promised  He  was  able  also  to 
perform/' 

But  it  may  be  objected ;  "  True,  if  we  knew  for  certain 
God  had  spoken  to  us  as  He  did  to  Abraham,  it  were 
then  madness  indeed  in  us  to  disbelieve  Him  ;  but  it  is 
not  His  voice  we  hear,  but  man's  speaking  in  His  name. 
The  Church  tells  us,  that  God  has  revealed  to  man  His 
will ;  and  the  Ministers  of  the  Church  point  to  a  book 
which  they  say  is  holy,  and  contains  the  words  of  God. 
How  are  we  to  know  whether  they  speak  truth  or  not  ? 
To  believe  this,  is  it  according  to  reason  or  against  it  ?  " 

This  objection  brings  us  to  a  very  large  and  weighty 
question,  though  I  do  not  think  it  is,  generally  speak- 
ing, a  very  practical  one;  viz.  what  are  our  reasons  for 
believing  the  Bible  came  from  God  ?  If  any  one  asks 
this  in  a  scoffing  way,  he  is  not  to  be  answered  ;  for  he 
is  profane,  and  exposes  himself  to  the  curse  pronounced 
by  St.  Paul  upon  the  haters  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  But  if 
a  man  inquires  sincerely,  wishing  to  find  the  truth,  wait- 
ing on  God  humbly,  yet  perplexed  at  knowing  or  wit- 
nessing the  deeds  of  scorners  and  daring  blasphemers, 
and  at  hearing  their  vain  reasonings,  and  not  knowing 
what  to  think  or  say  about  them,  let  him  consider  the 
following  remarks,  with  which  I  conclude. 

Now,  first,  whatever  such  profane  persons  may  say 

»  1  John  V.  9. 


1 98  Religious  Faith  Rational. 

about  their  willingness  to  believe,  if  they  could  find 
reason, — however  willing  they  may  profess  themselves 
to  admit  that  we  daily  take  things  on  trust,  and  that 
to  act  on  faith  is  in  itself  quite  a  rational  procedure, 
— though  they  may  pretend  that  they  do  not  quarrel 
with  being  required  to  believe,  but  say  that  they  do 
think  it  hard  that  better  evidence  is  not  given  them 
for  believing  what  they  are  bid  believe  undoubtingly, 
viz.  the  divine  authority  of  the  Bible, — in  spite  of  all  this, 
depend  upon  it,  (in  a  very  great  many  cases),  they  do 
murmur  at  being  required  to  believe,  they  do  dislike 
being  bound  to  act  without  seeing,  they  do  prefer 
to  trust  themselves  to  trusting  God,  even  though 
it  could  be  plainly  proved  to  them  that  God  was  in 
truth  speaking  to  them.  Did  they  see  God,  did  He 
show  Himself  as  He  will  appear  at  the  last  day,  still 
they  would  be  faithful  to  their  own  miserable  and 
wretched  selves,  and  would  be  practically  disloyal  to 
the  authority  of  God.  Their  conduct  shows  this.  Why 
otherwise  do  they  so  frequently  scoff  at  religious  men, 
as  if  timid  and  narrow-minded,  merely  because  they 
fear  to  sin  ?  Why  do  they  ridicule  such  conscientious 
persons  as  will  not  swear,  or  jest  indecorously,  or  live 
dissolutely  ?  Clearly,  it  is  their  very  faith  itself  they 
ridicule ;  not  their  believing  on  false  grounds,  but  their 
believing  at  all.  Here  they  show  what  it  is  which  rules 
them  within.  They  do  not  like  the  tie  of  religion^ 
they  do  not  like  dependence.  To  trust  another,  much 
more  to  trust  him  implicitly,  is  to  acknowledge  oneself 
to  be  his  inferior;  and  this  man's  proud  nature  cannot 
bear  to  do.     He  is  apt  to  think  it  immanly,  and  to  be 


Religious  Faith  Rational.  1 99 

ashamed  of  it ;  he  promises  himself  liberty  by  breaking 
the  chain  (as  he  considers  it)  which  binds  him  to  his 
Maker  and  Redeemer.  You  will  say,  why  then  do  such 
men  trust  each  other  if  they  are  so  proud  ?  I  answer, 
that  they  cannot  help  it;  and,  again,  that  while  they 
trust,  they  are  trusted  in  turn ;  which  puts  them  on  a 
sort  of  equality  with  others.  Unless  this  mutual  de- 
pendence takes  place,  it  is  true,  they  cannot  bear  to 
be  bound  to  trust  another,  to  depend  on  him.  And 
this  is  the  reason  that  such  men  are  so  given  to  cause 
tumults  and  rebellion  in  national  affairs.  They  set  up 
some  image  of  freedom  in  their  minds,  a  freedom  from 
the  shackles  of  dependence,  which  they  think  their 
natural  right,  and  which  they  aim  to  gain  for  them- 
selves ;  a  liberty,  much  like  that  which  Satan  aspired 
after,  when  he  rebelled  against  God.  So,  let  these 
men  profess  what  they  will,  about  their  not  finding 
fault  with  Faith  on  its  own  account,  they  do  dislike 
it.  And  it  is  therefore  very  much  to  our  purpose  to 
accustom  our  minds  to  the  fact,  on  which  I  have  been 
insisting,  that  almost  every  thing  we  do  is  grounded 
on  mere  trust  in  others.  We  are  from  our  birth 
dependent  creatures,  utterly  dependent ; — dependent 
immediately  on  man;  and  that  visible  dependence  re- 
minds us  forcibly  of  our  truer  and  fuller  dependence 
upon  God. 

Next,  I  observe,  that  these  unbelieving  men,  who  use 
hard  words  against  Scripture,  condemn  themselves  out 
of  their  own  mouth ; — in  this  way.  It  is  a  mistake 
to  suppose  that  our  obedience  to  God's  will  is  merely 
founded  on  our  belief  in  the  word  of  such  persons  at 


200  Religious  Faith  Rational. 

tell  us  Scripture  came  from  God.  We  obey  God 
primarily  because  we  actually  feel  His  presence  in  our 
consciences  bidding-  us  obey  Him.  And  this,  I  say, 
confutes  these  objectors  on  their  own  ground ;  because 
the  very  reason  they  give  for  their  unbelief  is,  that  the} 
trust  their  own  sight  and  reason,  because  their  own, 
more  than  the  words  of  God's  Ministers.  Now,  let  me 
ask,  if  they  trust  their  senses  and  their  reason,  why  do 
they  not  trust  their  conscience  too  ?  Is  not  conscience 
their  own  ?  Their  conscience  is  as  much  a  part  of 
themselves  as  their  reason  is;  and  it  is  placed  within 
them  by  Almighty  God  in  order  to  balance  the  in- 
fluence of  sight  and  reason;  and  yet  they  will  not 
attend  to  it;  for  a  plain  reason, — they  love  sin, — they 
love  to  be  their  own  masters,  and  therefore  they  will 
not  attend  to  that  secret  whisper  of  their  hearts,  which 
tells  them  they  are  »o^  their  own  masters,  and  that  sin  is 
hateful  and  ruinous. 

Nothing  shows  this  more  plainly  than  their  conduct, 
if  ever  you  appeal  to  their  conscience  in  favour  of  your 
view  of  the  case.  Supposing  they  are  using  profane 
language,  murmurings,  or  scoffings  at  religion;  and 
supposing  a  man  says  to  them,  "  You  know  in  your 
heart  you  should  not  do  so;"  how  will  they  reply? 
They  immediately  get  angry ;  or  they  attempt  to  turn 
what  is  said  into  ridicule  ;  any  thing  will  they  do,  except 
answer  by  reasoning.  No  ;  their  boasted  argumentation 
then  fails  them.  It  flies  like  a  coward  before  the  slif^ht 
stirring  of  conscience  ;  and  their  passions,  these  are  the 
only  champions  left  for  their  defence.  They  in  effect 
say,  "  We  do  so,  because  we  like  it;"  perhaps  they  even 


Religious  Faith  Rational.  201 

avow  this  in  so  many  words.  "  He  feedetli  on  ashes ; 
a  deceived  heart  hath  turned  him  aside,  that  he  cannot 
deliver  his  soul,  nor  say,  Is  there  not  a  lie  in  my  right 
hand*?" 

And  are  such  the  persons  whom  any  Christian  can  id 
any  degree  trust?  Surely  faith  in  them  would  be  ol 
all  conceivable  confidences  the  most  irrational,  the  most 
misplaced.  Can  we  allow  ourselves  to  be  perplexed  and 
frightened  at  the  words  of  those  who  carry  upon  them 
the  tokens  of  their  own  inconsistency,  the  mark  of 
Cain?  Surely  not;  and  as  that  first  rebel's  mark 
was  set  on  him^  "lest  any  finding  him  should  kill 
him/'  in  like  manner  their  presence  but  reminds  us 
thereby  to  view  them  with  love,  though  most  sor- 
rowfully, and  to  pray  earnestly,  and  do  our  utmost 
(if  there  is  ought  we  can  do),  that  they  may  be  spared 
the  second  death ; — to  look  on  them  with  awe,  as  a 
land  cursed  by  God,  the  plain  of  Siddim  or  the  ruins 
of  Babel,  but  which  He,  for  our  Redeemei-'s  sake,  is 
able  to  renew  and  fertilize. 

For  ourselves,  let  us  but  obey  God's  voice  in  our 
hearts,  and  I  will  venture  to  say  we  shall  have  no 
doubts  practically  formidable  about  the  truth  of  Scrip- 
ture. Find  out  the  man  who  strictly  obeys  the  law 
within  him,  and  yet  is  an  unbeliever  as  regards  the 
Bible,  and  then  it  will  be  time  enough  to  consider  all 
that  variety  of  proof  by  which  the  truth  of  the  Bible 
is  confirmed  to  us.  This  is  no  practical  inquiry  for 
us.      Our  doubts,  if  we   have  any,   will   be  found  to 

»  lea.  xliv.  JiO. 


20a  Religious  Faith  Rational. 

arise  after  disobedience;  it  is  bad  company  or  corrupt 
books  which  lead  to  unbelief.  It  is  sin  which  quenches 
the  Holy  Spirit. 

And  if  we  but  obey  God  strictly,  in  time  (through 
His  blessing)  faith  will  become  like  sight;  we  shall 
have  no  more  difficulty  in  finding  what  will  please 
God  than  in  moving  our  limbs,  or  in  understanding 
the  conversation  of  our  famiUar  friends.  This  is  the 
blessedness  of  confirmed  obedience.  Let  us  aim  at 
attaining  it;  and  in  whatever  proportion  we  now  enjoy 
it,  praise  and  bless  God  for  His  unspeakable  gift 


SERMON    XVI. 

"  How  can  these  things  be?" — ^John  iii.  9. 

rpHERE  is  much  instruction  conveyed  in  the  circum- 
-*-  stance,  that  the  Feast  of  the  Holy  Trinity  im- 
mediately succeeds  that  of  Whit  Sunday.  On  the  latter 
Festival  we  commemorate  the  coming  of  the  Spirit  of 
God,  who  is  promised  to  us  as  the  source  of  all  spiritual 
knowledge  and  discernment.  But  lest  we  should  forget 
the  nature  of  that  illumination  which  He  imparts, 
Trinity  Sunday  follows,  to  tell  us  what  it  is  not;  not 
a  light  accorded  to  the  reason,  the  gifts  of  the  intellect; 
inasmuch  as  the  Gospel  has  its  mysteries,  its  difficulties, 
and  secret  things,  which  the  Holy  Spirit  does  not 
remove. 

The  grace  promised  us  is  given,  not  that  we  may 
know  more,  but  that  we  may  dp  better.  It  is  given 
to  influence,  guide,  and  strengthen  us  in  performing 
our  duty  towards  God  and  man ;  it  is  given  to  us  as 
creatures,  as  sinners,  as  men,  as  immortal  beings,  not 
as  mere  reasoners,  disputers,  or  philosophical  inquirers. 


204  The  Christian  Mysteries. 

It  teaches  what  we  are,  whither  we  are  going,  what  we 
must  do,  how  we  must  do  it ;  it  enables  us  to  change 
our  fallen  nature  from  evil  to  good,  "  to  make  ourselves 
a  new  heart  and  a  new  spirit/^  But  it  tells  us  nothing 
for  the  sake  of  telling  it;  neither  in  His  Holy  Word, 
uor  through  our  consciences,  has  the  Blessed  Spirit 
thought  fit  so  to  act.  Not  that  the  desire  of  knowing 
sacred  things  for  the  sake  of  knowing  them  is  wrong. 
As  knowledge  about  earth,  sky,  and  sea,  and  the  wonders 
they  contain,  is  in  itself  valuable,  and  in  its  place 
desirable,  so  doubtless  there  is  nothing  sinful  in  gazing 
wistfully  at  the  marvellous  providences  of  God's  moral 
governance,  and  wishing  to  understand  them.  But  still 
God  has  not  given  us  such  knowledge  in  the  Bible, 
and  therefore  to  look  into  the  Bible  for  such  knowledge, 
or  to  expect  it  in  any  way  from  the  inward  teaching  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  is  a  dangerous  mistake,  and  (it  may 
be)  a  sin.  And  since  men  are  apt  to  prize  knowledge 
above  holiness,  therefore  it  is  most  suitably  provided, 
that  Trinity  Sunday  should  succeed  Whit  Sunday;  to 
warn  us  that  the  enlightening  vouchsafed  to  us  is  not 
an  understanding  of  "  all  mysteries  and  all  knowledge," 
but  that  love  or  charity  which  is  "  the  fulfilling  of  the 
Law." 

And  in  matter  of  fact  there  have  been  very  grievous 
mistakes  respecting  the  nature  of  Christian  knowledge. 
There  have  been  at  all  times  men  so  ignorant  of  the 
object  of  Christ's  coming,  as  to  consider  mysteries  in- 
consistent with  the  light  of  the  Gospel.  They  have 
thought  the  darkness  of  Judaism,  of  which  Scripture 
speaks,  to   be   a  state  of  intellectual  ignorance;   and 


The  Christian  Mysteries.  205 

Christianity  to  be,  what  they  term,  a  "rational  reli- 
gion." And  hence  they  have  argued,  that  no  doctrine 
which  was  mysterious,  i.  e.  too  deep  for  human  reason,  or 
inconsistent  with  their  self-devised  notions,  could  be 
contained  in  Scripture  ;  as  if  it  were  honouring  Christ  to 
maintain  that  when  He  said  a  thing.  He  could  not  have 
meant  what  He  said,  because  they  would  not  have  said 
it.  Nicodemus,  though  a  sincere  inquirer,  and  (as  the 
event  shows)  a  true  follower  of  Christ,  yet  at  first  was 
startled  at  the  mysteries  of  the  Gospel.  He  said  to 
Christ,  "  How  can  these  things  be  V  He  felt  the 
temptation,  and  overcame  it.  But  there  are  others  who 
are  altogether  offended  and  fall  away  on  being  exposed 
to  it ;  as  those  mentioned  in  the  sixth  chapter  of 
St.  John's  (jospel,  who  went  back  and  walked  no  more 
with  Him. 

The  Feast  of  Trinity  succeeds  Pentecost;  the  light  of 
the  Gospel  does  not  remove  mysteries  in  religion.  This 
is  our  subject.     Let  us  enlarge  upon  it. 

1.  Let  us  consider  such  diflSculties  of  religion,  as 
press  upon  us  independently  of  the  Scriptures.  Now 
we  shall  find  the  Gospel  has  not  removed  these ;  they 
remain  as  great  as  before  Christ  came. — How  excellent 
is  this  world !  how  very  good  and  fair  is  the  face  of 
nature !  how  pleasant  it  is  to  walk  into  the  green 
country,  and  "to  meditate  in  the  field  at  the  eventide '  V* 
As  we  look  around,  we  cannot  but  be  persuaded  that 
God  is  most  good,  and  loves  His  creatures ;  yet  amid  all 
the  splendour  we  see  around  us,  and  the  happy  beings, 

»  Gen.  judv.  63. 


2o6  The  Christian  Mysteries. 

thousands  and  ten  thousands,  which  live  in  the  air  and 
water,  the  question  comes  upon  us,  "  But  why  is  there 
pain  in  the  world?"  We  see  that  the  brutes  prey  on 
each  other,  inflicting  violent,  unnatural  deaths.  Some 
of  them,  too,  are  enemies  of  man,  and  harm  us  when 
they  have  an  opportunity.  And  man  tortures  others 
unrelentingly,  nay,  condemns  some  of  them  to  a  life  of 
suffering.  Much  more  do  pain  and  misery  show  them- 
selves in  the  history  of  man ; — the  numberless  diseases 
and  casualties  of  human  life,  and  our  sorrows  of  mind ; 
— then,  further,  the  evils  we  inflict  on  each  other,  our 
sins  and  their  awful  consequences.  Now  why  does  God 
permit  so  much  evil  in  His  own  world  ?  This  is  a  dif- 
ficulty, I  say,  which  we  feel  at  once,  before  we  open  the 
Bible;  and  which  we  are  quite  unable  to  solve.  We 
open  the  Bible ;  the  fact  is  acknowledged  there,  but  it 
is  not  explained  at  all.  We  are  told  that  sin  entered 
the  world  through  the  Devil,  who  tempted  Adam  to  dis- 
obedience ;  so  that  God  created  the  world  good,  though 
evil  is  in  it.  But  why  He  thought  fit  to  suffer  this,  we 
are  not  told.  We  know  no  more  on  the  subject  than 
we  did  before  opening  the  Bible.  It  was  a  mystery 
before  God  gave  His  revelation,  it  is  as  great  a  mystery 
now;  and  doubtless  for  this  reason,  because  knowledge 
about  it  would  do  us  no  good,  it  would  merely  satisfy 
curiosity.     It  is  not  practical  knowledge. 

2.  Nor,  again,  are  the  difficulties  of  Judaism  removed 
by  Christianity.  The  Jews  were  told,  that  if  they  put 
to  death  certain  animals,  they  should  be  admitted  by 
way  of  consequence  into  God's  favour,  which  their  con- 
tinual transgressions  were  ever  forfeiting.     Now  there 


The  Christian  Mysteries.  lorj 

was  something  mysterious  here.  How  should  the  death 
of  unoffending  creatures  make  God  gracious  to  the 
Jews  ?  They  could  not  tell,  of  course.  All  that  could 
be  said  to  the  point  was,  that  in  the  daily  course  of 
human  affairs  the  unoffending  constantly  suffer  instead 
of  the  offenders.  One  man  is  ever  suffering  for  the 
fault  of  another.  But  this  experience  did  not  lighten 
the  difficulty  of  so  mysterious  a  provision.  It  was  still 
a  mystery  that  God^s  favour  should  depend  on  the  death 
of  brute  animals.  Does  Christianity  solve  this  diffi- 
culty? No;  it  continues  it.  The  Jewish  sacrifices  indeed 
are  done  away,  but  still  there  remains  One  Great  Sacri- 
fice for  sin,  infinitely  higher  and  more  sacred  than  all 
other  conceivable  sacrifices.  According  to  the  Gospel 
message,  Christ  has  voluntarily  suffered,  "  the  just  for 
the  unjust,  to  bring  us  to  God.''  Here  is  the  mystery 
continued.  Why  was  this  suffering  necessary  to  pro- 
cure for  us  the  blessings  which  we  were  in  ourselves 
unworthy  of?  We  do  not  know.  We  should  not  be 
better  men  for  knowing  why  God  did  not  pardon  us 
without  Christ's  death ;  so  He  has  not  told  us.  One 
suffers  for  another  in  the  ordinary  course  of  things ;  and 
under  the  Jewish  Law,  too;  and  in  the  Christian  scheme; 
and  why  all  this,  is  still  a  mystery. 

Another  difficulty  to  a  thoughtful  Israelite  would 
arise  from  considering  the  state  of  the  heathen  world. 
Why  did  not  Almighty  God  bring  all  nations  into  His 
Church,  and  teach  them,  by  direct  revelation,  the  sin  of 
idol-worship  ?  He  would  not  be  able  to  answer.  God 
had  chosen  one  nation.  It  is  true  the  same  principle  of 
preferring  one  to  another  is  seen  in  the  system  of  the 


2o8  The  Christia7i  Mysteries. 

whole  world.  God  gives  men  unequal  advantages,  com- 
forts, education,  talents,  health.  Yet  this  does  not 
satisfy  us,  why  He  has  thought  fit  to  do  so  at  all.  Here, 
again,  the  Gospel  recognizes  and  confirms  the  myste- 
rious fact.  We  are  born  in  a  Christian  country,  others 
are  not ;  we  are  baptized ;  we  are  educated ;  others 
are  not.  "We  are  favoured  above  others.  But  why? 
We  cannot  tell ;  no  more  than  the  Jews  could  tell  why 
they  were  favoured ; — and  for  this  reason,  because  to 
know  it  is  nothing  to  us;  it  would  not  make  us  better 
men  to  know  it.  It  is  intended  that  we  should  look  to 
ourselves,  and  rather  consider  why  we  have  pi'ivileges 
given  us,  than  why  others  have  not  the  same.  Our 
Saviour  repels  such  curious  questions  more  than  once. 
"  Lord,  and  what  shall  this  man  do  '  V  St.  Peter 
asked  about  St.  John.  Christ  replied,  "  If  I  will  that 
he  tarry  till  I  come,  what  is  that  to  thee  ?  Follow  thou 
Me." 

Thus  the  Gospel  gives  us  no  advantages  in  respect  to 
mere  barren  knowledge,  above  the  Jew,  or  above  the 
unenlightened  heathen. 

3.  Nay,  we  may  proceed  to  say,  further  than  this, 
that  it  increases  our  difficulties.  It  is  indeed  a  remark- 
able circumstance,  that  the  very  revelation  that  brings 
us  practical  and  useful  knowledge  about  our  souls,  in  the 
very  act  of  doing  so,  nay  (as  it  would  seem) ,  in  consequence 
of  doing  so,  brings  us  mysteries.  We  gain  spiritual 
light  at  the  price  of  intellectual  perplexity;  a  blessed 
exchange  doubtless,  (for  which  is  better,  to  be  weU  and 

'  John  xxi.  21,  22. 


The  Christian  Mysteries.  209 

happy  within  ourselves,  or  to  know  what  is  going  on  at 
the  world^s  end  ?)  still  at  the  price  of  perplexity.  For 
instance,  how  infinitely  important  and  blessed  is  the 
news  of  eternal  happiness  ?  but  we  learn  in  connexion 
with  this  joyful  truth,  that  there  is  a  state  of  endless  misery 
too.  Now,  how  great  a  mystery  is  this  !  yet  the  difii- 
culty  goes  hand  in  hand  with  the  spiritual  blessing.  It 
is  still  more  strikingly  to  the  point  to  refer  to  the  mes- 
sage of  mercy  itself.  We  are  saved  by  the  death  of 
Christ ;  but  who  is  Christ  ?  Christ  is  the  Very  Son  of 
God,  Begotten  of  God  and  One  with  God  from  everlast- 
ing, God  incarnate.  This  is  our  inexpressible  comfort, 
and  a  most  sanctifying  truth  if  we  receive  it  rightly ; 
but  how  stupendous  a  mystery  is  the  incarnation  and 
sufferings  of  the  Son  of  God  !  Here,  not  merely  do  the 
good  tidings  and  the  mystery  go  together,  as  in  the 
revelation  of  eternal  life  and  eternal  death,  but  the  very 
doctrine  which  is  the  mystery,  brings  the  comfort  also. 
Weak,  ignorant,  sinful,  desponding,  sorrowful  man, 
gains  the  knowledge  of  an  infinitely  merciful  Protector, 
a  Giver  of  all  good,  most  powerful,  the  Worker  of  all 
righteousness  within  him ;  at  what  price  ?  at  the  price 
of  a  mystery.  "  The  Word  was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt 
among  us,  and  we  beheld  His  glory  •"  and  He  laid  down 
His  life  for  the  world.  What  rightly  disposed  mind 
but  will  gladly  make  the  exchange,  and  exclaim,  in  the 
language  of  one  whose  words  are  almost  sacred  among 
us,  "  Let  it  be  counted  folly,  or  frenzy,  or  fury  whatso- 
ever; it  is  our  comfort  and  our  wisdom.  We  care  for 
no  knowledge  in  the  world  but  this,  that  man  hath 
sinned,  and  God  hath  suffered;  that  God  hath  made 
[I]  P 


2IO  The  Christian  Mysteries. 

Himself  the  Son  of  Man,  and  that  men  are  made  the 
righteousness  of  God '." 

The  same  singular  connexion  between  religious  light 
and  comfort,  and  intellectual  darkness,  is  also  seen  in  the 
doctrine  of  the  Trinity.  Frail  man  requires  pardon  and 
Kanctification ;  can  he  do  otherwise  than  gratefully  de- 
vote himself  to,  and  trust  implicitly  in,  his  Redeemer  and 
his  Sanctifier  ?  But  if  our  Redeemer  were  not  God,  and 
our  Sanctifier  were  not  God,  how  great  would  have  been 
our  danger  of  preferring  creatures  to  the  Creator  !  What 
a  source  of  light,  freedom,  and  comfort  is  it,  to  know 
we  cannot  love  Them  too  much,  or  humble  ourselves 
before  Them  too  reverently,  for  both  Son  and  Spirit 
are  separately  God  !  Such  is  the  practical  effect  of  the 
doctrine ;  but  what  a  mystery  also  is  therein  involved  ! 
What  a  source  of  perplexity  and  darkness  (I  say)  to  the 
reason,  is  the  doctrine  which  immediately  results  from 
it !  for  if  Christ  be  by  Himself  God,  and  the  Spirit  be 
by  Himself  God,  and  yet  there  be  but  One  God,  here 
is  plainly  something  altogether  beyond  our  compre- 
hension ;  and,  though  we  might  have  antecedently  sup- 
posed there  were  numberless  truths  relating  to  Almighty 
God  which  we  could  neither  know  nor  understand,  yet 
certain  as  this  is,  it  does  not  make  this  mystery  at  all 
less  overpowering  when  it  is  revealed. 

And  it  is  important  to  observe,  that  this  doctrine  of 
the  Trinity  is  not  proposed  in  Scripture  as  a  mystery.  It 
seems  then  that,  as  we  draw  forth  many  remarkable  facts 
concerning  the  natural  world  which  do  not  lie  on  its 

'   Hooker  on  Justification. 


The  Christian  Mysteries.  2 1 1 

surface,  so  by  meditation  we  detect  in  Eevelation  this 
remarkable  principle,  which  is  not  openly  propounded, 
that  religious  light  is  intellectual  darkness.  As  if  our 
gracious  Lord  had  said  to  us ;  "  Scripture  does  not  aim 
at  making  mysteries,  but  they  are  as  shadows  brought 
out  by  the  Sun  of  Truth.  When  you  knew  nothing  of 
revealed  light,  you  knew  not  revealed  darkness.  Reli- 
gious truth  requires  you  should  be  told  something,  your 
own  imperfect  nature  prevents  your  knowing  all;  and 
to  know  something,  and  not  all, — partial  knowledge, — 
must  of  course  perplex ;  doctrines  imperfectly  revealed 
must  be  mysterious.'^ 

4,  Such  being  the  necessary  mysteriousness  of  Scrip- 
ture doctrine,how  can  we  best  turn  it  to  account  in  the  con- 
test which  we  are  engaged  in  with  our  evil  hearts  ?  Now 
we  are  given  to  see  how  to  do  this  in  part,  and,  as  far  as 
we  see,  let  us  be  thankful  for  the  gift.  It  seems,  then, 
that  difficulties  in  revelation  are  especially  given  to  prove 
tke  reality  of  our  faith.  What  shall  separate  the  insincere 
from  the  sincere  follower  of  Christ?  When  the  many 
own  Christ  with  their  lips,  what  shall  try  and  discipline 
His  true  servant,  and  detect  the  self-deceiver  ?  Diffi- 
culties in  revelation  mainly  contribute  to  this  end.  They 
are  stumbling-blocks  to  proud  and  unhumbled  minds, 
and  were  intended  to  be  such.  Faith  is  unassuming, 
modest,  thankful,  obedient.  It  receives  with  reverence 
and  love  whatever  God  gives,  when  convinced  it  is  His 
gift.  But  when  men  do  not  feel  rightly  their  need  of 
His  redeeming  mercy,  their  lost  condition  and  their 
inward  sinfulness,  when,  in  fact,  they  do  not  seek  Christ 
in  good  earnest,  in  order  to  gain  something,  and  do  some- 


212  The  Christian  Mysteries. 

thing,  but  ajs  a  matter  of  curiosity,  or  speculation,  or 
form,  of  course  these  difficulties  will  become  great  objec- 
tions in  the  way  of  their  i*eceiving  His  word  simply. 
And  I  say  these  difficulties  were  intended  to  be  such 
by  Him  who  "scattereth  the  proud  in  the  imagina- 
tion of  their  hearts/'  St.  Peter  assures  us,  that 
that  same  corner-stone  which  is  unto  them  that 
believe  "precious^'  is  "  unto  them  which  be  disobe- 
dient, a  stone  of  stumbling,  and  a  rock  of  offence,^' 
"  whereunto  also  (he  adds)  they  were  appointed  ^/'  And 
our  Lord's  conduct  through  His  ministry  is  a  continued 
example  of  this.  He  spoke  in  parables^,  that  they 
might  see  and  hear,  yet  not  understand, — a  righteous 
detection  of  insincerity;  whereas  the  same  difficulties 
and  obscurities,  which  offended  irreligious  men,  would 
but  lead  the  humble  and  meek  to  seek  for  more  light, 
for  information  as  far  as  it  was  to  be  obtained,  and 
for  resignation  and  contentedness,  where  it  was  not 
given.  When  Jesus  said,  .  .  .  "  Except  ye  eat  the  flesh 
of  the  Son  of  Man,  and  drink  His  blood,  ye  have  no  life 

in  you Many  of  His  disciples  ....  said.  This 

is  a  hard  saying  :  who  can  hear  it  ?  .  .  .  .  and  from  that 
time  many  ....  went  back,  and  walked  no  more  with 

Him Then  said  Jesus  unto  the  twelve.  Will  ye 

also  go  away  ?  Then  Simon  Peter  answered  Him,  Lord, 
to  whom  shall  we  go  ?  Thou  hast  the  words  of  eternal 
life.""  Here  is  the  trial  of  faith,  a  difficulty.  Those 
"  that  believe  not "  fall  away  ;  the  true  disciples  remain 
tirm,  for  they  feel  their  eternal  interests  at  stake,  and  ask 

^  1  Pet.  u.  7,  8.  »  Vide  Mark  iv.  11  —25,  &c. 


TJie  Christtan  Mysteries,  213 

the  very  plain  and  practical,  as  well  as  affectionate  ques- 
tion, "  To  whom  shall  we  go  '/^  if  we  leave  Christ  ? 

At  another  time  our  Lord  says,  "  I  thank  Thee,  O 
Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  that  Thou  hast  hid 
these  things  from  the  wise  and  prudent  (those  who 
trust  reason  rather  than  Scripture  and  conscience), 
and  hast  revealed  them  unto  babes  (those  who  humbly 
walk  by  faith).  Even  so,  Father,  for  so  it  seemed  good 
in  Thy  sight'/"' 

5.  Now  what  do  we  gain  from  thoughts  such  as 
these?  Our  Saviour  gives  us  the  conclusion,  in  the 
words  which  follow  a  passage  I  have  just  read.  "  There- 
fore said  I  unto  you,  that  no  man  can  come  unto  Me, 
except  it  were  given  him  of  My  Father.^^  Or,  again, 
'*  No  man  can  come  to  Me,  except  the  Father,  which  hath 
sent  Me,  draw  him.''  Therefore,  if  we  feel  the  necessity 
of  coming  to  Christ,  yet  the  difficulty,  let  us  recollect 
that  the  gift  of  coming  is  in  God's  hands,  and  that  we 
must  pray  Him  to  give  it  to  us.  Christ  does  not 
merely  tell  us,  that  we  cannot  come  of  ourselves 
(though  this  He  does  tell  us),  but  He  tells  us  also 
with  whom  the  power  of  coming  is  lodged,  with  His 
Father, — that  we  may  seek  it  of  Him.  It  is  true, 
religion  has  an  austere  appearance  to  those  who  never 
have  tried  it ;  its  doctrines  full  of  mystery,  its  precepts 
of  harshness ;  so  that  it  is  uninviting,  offending  dif- 
ferent men  in  different  ways,  but  in  some  way  offending 
all.  When  then  we  feel  within  us  the  risings  of  this 
opposition  to  Christ,  proud  aversion  to  His  Gospel,  or 

'  John  vi.  53—68.  '<■  Matt.  xi.  25,  26. 


214  The  Christian  Mysteries. 

a  low-minded  long-ing  after  this  world,  let  us  pray  God 
to  draw  us  ;  and  though  we  cannot  move  a  step  without 
Him,  at  least  let  us  try  to  move.  He  looks  into  our 
hearts  and  sees  our  strivings  even  before  we  strive,  and 
He  blesses  and  strengthens  even  our  feebleness.  Let 
us  get  rid  of  curious  and  presumptuous  thoughts  by 
going  about  our  business,  whatever  it  is;  and  let  us 
mock  and  baffle  the  doubts  which  Satan  whispers  to  us 
by  acting  against  them.  No  matter  whether  we  believe 
doubtingly  or  not,  or  know  clearly  or  not,  so  that  we 
act  upon  our  belief.  The  rest  will  follow  in  time ;  part 
in  this  world,  part  in  the  next.  Doubts  may  pain,  but 
they  cannot  harm,  unless  we  give  way  to  them;  and 
that  we  ought  not  to  give  way,  our  conscience  tells  us, 
so  that  our  course  is  plain.  And  the  more  we  are  in 
earnest  to  "  work  out  our  salvation,'*  the  less  shall  we 
care  to  know  how  those  things  really  are,  which  perplex 
us.  At  length,  when  our  hearts  are  in  our  work,  we 
shall  be  indisposed  to  take  the  trouble  of  listening  to 
curious  truths  (if  they  are  but  curious),  though  we 
might  have  them  explained  to  us.  For  what  says  the 
Holy  Scripture  ?  that  of  speculations  ^'  there  is  no  end,^' 
and  they  are  "a  weariness  of  the  flesh;"  but  that  we 
must  "  fear  God  and  keep  His  commandments  ;  for  this 
is  the  whole  duty  of  man  ^" 

1  Eccles.  xii.  12    18. 


SERMON   XVII. 
'Elje  »)elf=(iaii0e  inquirer. 

•*  Let  no  man  deceive  himself.  If  any  man  among  you  seemeth  to  bt 
wise  in  this  world,  let  him  become  a  fool,  that  he  may  be  wise.  For 
the  wisdom  of  this  world  is  foolishness  with  God.  For  it  is  written. 
He  taketh  the  wise  in  their  own  craftiness." — i  CoR.  iii.  i8,  19. 

AMONG  the  various  deceptions  ag-ainst  which  St.  Paul 
warns  us,  a  principal  one  is  that  of  o,  false  wisdom; 
as  in  the  text.  The  Corinthians  prided  themselves  on 
their  intellectual  acuteness  and  knowledge;  as  if  any 
thing  could  equal  the  excellence  of  Christian  love.  Ac- 
cordingly, St.  Paul  writing  to  them  says,  "  Let  no  man 
deceive  himself.  If  any  man  among  you  seemeth  to 
be  wise  in  this  world "  (i.  e.  has  the  reputation  of 
wisdom  in  the  world),  "let  him  become  a  fool  (what 
the  world  calls  a  fool),  that  he  may  (really)  be  wise." 
"  For,"  he  proceeds  (just  as  real  wisdom  is  foolishness 
in  the  eyes  of  the  world,  so  in  turn),  "  the  wisdom  of 
this  world  is  foolishness  with  God." 

This  warning  of  the  Apostle  against  our  trusting  our 
own  wisdom,  may  lead  us,  through  God's  blessing,  to 
some  profitable  reflections  to-day. 


2 1 6  Tlie  Self -wise  Inquirer. 

The  world's  wisdom  is  said  to  \>&  foolishness  in  God's 
siglit ;  and  the  end  of  it  error,  perplexity,  and  then 
ruin.  "  He  taketh  the  wise  in  their  own  craftiness." 
Here  is  one  especial  reason  why  professed  inquirers  after 
Truth  do  not  find  it.  They  seek  it  in  a  wrong  way, 
by  a  vain  wisdom,  which  leads  them  away  from  the 
Truth,  however  it  may  seem  to  promise  success. 

Let  us  then  inquire  what  is  this  vain  wisdom,  and 
then  we  shall  the  better  see  how  it  leads  men  astray. 

Now,  when  it  is  said  that  to  trust  our  own  notions  is 
a  wrong  thing  and  a  vain  wisdom,  of  course  this  is 
not  meant  of  all  our  own  notions  whatever ;  for  we 
must  trust  our  own  notions  in  one  shape  or  other,  and 
some  notions  which  we  form  are  right  and  true.  The 
question,  therefore,  is,  what  is  that  evil  trusting  to  our- 
selves, that  sinful  self-confidence,  or  self-conceit,  which 
is  called  in  the  text  the  "  wisdom  of  the  world,"  and 
is  a  chief  cause  of  our  going  wrong  in  our  religious 
inquiries  ? 

These  are  the  notions  which  we  may  trust  without 
blame ;  viz.  such  as  come  to  us  by  way  of  our  Conscience, 
for  such  come  from  God.  I  mean  our  certainty  that 
there  is  a  right  and  a  wrong,  that  some  things  ought  to 
be  done,  and  other  things  not  done ;  that  we  have  duties, 
the  neglect  of  which  brings  remorse ;  and  further,  that 
God  is  good,  wise,  powerful,  and  righteous,  and  that 
we  should  try  to  obey  Him.  All  these  notions,  and  a 
multitude  of  others  like  these,  come  by  natural  con- 
science, i.  e,  they  are  impressed  on  all  our  minds  from 
our  earliest  years  without  our  trouble.  They  do  not 
proceed  from  the  mere  exercise  of  our  minds,  though  it 


The  Self -wise  Inquirer.  217 

is  true  they  are  strengthened  and  formed  thereby.  They 
proceed  from  God,  whether  within  us  or  without  us ;  and 
though  we  cannot  trust  them  so  implicitly  as  we  can 
trust  the  Bible,  because  the  truths  of  the  Bible  are 
actually  preserved  in  writing,  and  so  cannot  be  lost  or 
altered,  still,  as  far  as  we  have  reason  to  think  them 
true,  we  may  rely  in  them,  and  make  much  of  them, 
without  incurring  the  sin  of  self-confidence.  These 
notions  which  we  obtain  without  our  exertion  will  never 
make  us  proud  or  conceited,  because  they  are  ever  at- 
tended with  a  sense  of  sin  and  guilt,  from  the  remem- 
brance that  we  have  at  times  transgressed  and  injured 
them.  To  trust  them  is  not  the  false  wisdom  of  the 
world,  or  foolishness,  because  they  come  from  the  All- 
wise  God.  And  far  from  leading  a  man  into  error,  they 
will,  if  obeyed,  of  a  certainty  lead  him  to  a  firm  belief  in 
Scripture ;  in  which  he  will  find  aU  those  vague  conjec- 
tures and  imperfect  notions  about  Truth,  which  his  own 
heart  taught  him,  abundantly  sanctioned,  completed, 
and  illustrated. 

Such  then  are  the  opinions  and  feelings  of  which  a 
man  is  not  proud.  What  are  those  of  which  he  is  likely 
to  be  proud  ?  those  which  he  obtains,  iioi  by  nature,  but 
by  his  own  industry,  ability,  and  research ;  those  which 
he  possesses  and  others  not.  Every  one  is  in  danger  of 
valuing  himself  for  what  he  does ;  and  hence  truths  (or 
fancied  truths)  which  a  man  has  obtained  for  himself 
after  much  thought  and  labour,  such  he  is  apt  to  make 
much  of,  and  to  rely  upon;  and  this  is  the  source  of 
that  vain  wisdom  of  which  the  Apostle  speaks  in  the 
text. 


2 1  8  The  Self -wise  Inquirer. 

Now  (I  say)  this  confidence  in  our  own  reasoning 
powers  not  only  leads  to  pride,  but  to  "foolishness  "  also^ 
and  destructive  error,  because  it  will  oppose  itself  to 
Scripture.  A  man  who  fancies  he  can  find  out  truth  by 
himself,  disdains  revelation.  He  who  thinks  he  hai 
found  it  out,  is  impatient  of  revelation.  He  fears  it  will 
interfere  with  his  own  imaginary  discoveries,  he  is  un- 
willing to  consult  it ;  and  when  it  does  interfere,  then 
he  is  angry.  We  hear  much  of  this  proud  rejection  of 
the  truth  in  the  Epistle  from  which  the  text  is  taken . 
The  Jews  felt  anger,  and  the  Greeks  disdain,  at  the 
Christian  doctrine.  "The  Jews  required  a  sign  (ac- 
cording to  their  preconceived  notions  concerning  the 
Messiah's  coming),  and  the  Greeks  seek  after  wisdom 
(some  subtle  train  of  reasoning),  but  we  preach  Christ 
crucified,  unto  the  Jews  a  stumbling-block,  and  to  the 
Greeks  foolishness  \''  In  another  place  the  Apostle 
says  of  the  misled  Christians  of  Corinth,  "  Now  ye  are 
full "  of  your  own  notions,  "  now  ye  are  rich,  ye  have 
reigned  as  kings  without  us  *  /'  i.  e.  you  have  prided 
yourself  on  a  wisdom,  "  without,^'  separate  from,  the 
truth  of  Apostolic  doctrine.  Confidence,  then,  in  our 
own  reasoning  powers  leads  to  (what  St.  Paul  calls) 
foolishness,  by  causing  in  our  hearts  an  indifference 
towards,  or  a  distaste  for  Scripture  information. 

But,  besides  thus  keeping  us  from  the  best  of  guides, 
it  also  makes  us  fools,  because  it  is  a  confidence  in  a  bad 
guide.  Our  reasoning  powers  are  very  weak  in  all  in- 
quiries into  moral  and  religious  truth.     Clear-sighted  as 

'  1  Cor,  L  22,  28.  ^l  Cor.  iv.  8. 


IJie  Self -wise  Inquirer.  219 

reason  is  on  other  subjects,  and  trustworthy  as  a  guide, 
still  in  questions  connected  with  our  duty  to  God  and 
man  it  is  very  unskilful  and  equivocating.  After  all,  it 
barely  reaches  the  same  great  truths  which  are  authori- 
tatively set  forth  by  Conscience  and  by  Scripture ;  and 
if  it  be  used  in  religious  inquiries,  without  reference  to 
these  divinely-sanctioned  informants,  the  probability  is, 
it  will  miss  the  Truth  altogether.  Thus  the  (so-called) 
wise  will  be  taken  in  their  own  craftiness.  All  of  us, 
doubtless,  recollect  our  Lord^s  words,  which  are  quite  to 
the  purpose ;  "  I  thank  Thee,  O  Father,  Lord  of  heaven 
and  earth,  because  Thou  hast  hid  these  things  from  the 
wise  and  prudent  (those  who  trust  in  their  own  intellec- 
tual powers),  and  hast  revealed  them  unto  bahes^" 
those,  i.  e.  that  act  by  faith  and  for  conscience  sake. 

The  false  wisdom,  then,  of  which  St.  Paul  speaks  in 
the  text,  is  a  trusting  our  own  powers  for  arriving  at 
religious  truth,  instead  of  taking  what  is  divinely  pro- 
vided for  us,  whether  in  nature  or  revelation.  This  is 
the  way  of  the  world.  In  the  world.  Reason  is  set 
against  Conscience,  and  usurps  its  power;  and  hcAce 
men  become  "  wise  in  their  own  conceits,^'  and  "  leaning 
to  their  own  understandings,'"'  ''  err  from  the  truth.'''' 
Let  us  now  review  some  particulars  of  this  contest 
between  our  instinctive  sense  of  right  and  wrong,  and 
our  weak  and  conceited  reason. 

It  begins  within  us,  when  childhood  and  boyhood  are 
past ;  and  the  time  comes  for  our  entrance  into  life. 
Before    that  time  we  trusted  our  divinely- enlightened 

*  Matt.  u.  26. 


220  The  Self -wise  Inquirer. 

sense  of  duty  and  our  right  feeling-  implicitly ;  and 
though  (alas !)  we  continually  transgressed,  and  thereby 
impaired  this  inward  guide,  at  least  we  did  not  question  its 
authority.  Then  we  had  that  original  temper  of  faith, 
wrought  in  us  by  baptism,  the  spirit  of  little  children, 
without  which  our  Lord  assures  us,  none  of  us,  young  or 
old,  can  enter  the  kingdom  of  heaven  \ 

But  when  our  minds  became  more  manly,  and  the 
world  opened  upon  us,  then  in  proportion  to  the  intellec- 
tual gifts  with  which  God  had  honoured  us,  came  the 
temptation  of  unbelief  and  disobedience.  Then  came 
reason,  led  on  by  passion,  to  war  against  our  better 
knowledge.  We  were  driven  into  the  wilderness,  after 
our  Lord's  manner,  by  the  very  Spirit  given  us,  which 
exposed  us  to  the  Devil's  devices,  before  the  time  or 
power  came  of  using  the  gift  in  God's  service.  And  how 
many  of  the  most  highly  endowed  then  fall  away  under 
trials  which  the  sinless  Son  of  God  withstood  !  He  feels 
for  all  who  are  tempted,  having  Himself  suffered  tempta- 
tion ;  yet  what  a  sight  must  He  see,  and  by  what  great 
exercise  of  mercy  must  the  Holy  Jesus  endure,  the  bold 
and  wicked  thoughts  which  often  reign  the  most  tri- 
umphantly in  the  breasts  of  those  (at  least  for  a  time) 
whom  He  has  commissioned  by  the  abundance  of  their 
talents  to  be  the  especial  ministers  of  His  will ! 

A  murmuring  against  that  religious  service  which  is 
perfect  freedom,  complaints  that  Christ's  yoke  is  heavy, 
a  rebellious  rising  against  the  authority  of  Conscience, 
and  a  proud  arguing  against  the  Truth,  or  at  least  an 

'  Matt,  xviii.  8. 


The  Self-wise  Inquirer.  11\ 

endurance  of  doubt  and  scoffing",  and  a  light,  unmeaning 
use  of  sceptical  arguments  and  assertions,  these  are  the 
beginnings  of  apostasy.  Then  come  the  affectation  of 
originality,  the  desire  to  appear  manly  and  independent, 
and  the  fear  of  the  ridicule  of  our  acquaintance,  all  com- 
bining to  make  us  first  speak,  and  then  really  think  evil 
of  the  supreme  authority  of  religion.  This  gradual 
transgression  of  the  first  commandment  of  the  Law  is 
generally  attended  by  a  transgression  of  the  fifth.  In 
our  childhood  we  loved  both  religion  and  our  home; 
but  as  we  learn  to  despise  the  voice  of  God,  so  do  we 
first  affect,  and  then  feel,  an  indifference  towards  the 
opinions  of  our  superiors  and  elders.  Thus  our  minds 
become  gradually  hardened  against  the  purest  pleasures, 
both  divine  and  human. 

As  this  progress  in  sin  continues,  our  disobedience 
becomes  its  own  punishment.  In  proportion  as  we  lean 
to  our  own  understanding,  we  are  driven  to  do  so  for 
want  of  a  better  guide.  Our  first  true  guide,  the  light 
of  innocence,  is  gradually  withdrawn  from  us  ;  and 
nothing  is  left  for  us  but  to  "grope  and  stumble  in 
the  desolate  places,*'  by  the  dim,  uncertain  light  of 
reason.  Thus  we  are  taken  in  our  own  craftiness. 
This  is  what  is  sometimes  called  judicial  blindness; 
such  as  Pharaoh's,  who,  from  resisting  God's  will,  at 
length  did  not  know  the  difference  between  light  and 
darkness. 

How  far  each  individual  proceeds  in  this  bad  course, 
depends  on  a  variety  of  causes,  into  the  consideration  of 
which  I  need  not  enter.  Some  are  frightened  at  them- 
selves, and  turn  back  into  the  right  way  before  it  is  too 


222  The  Self -wise  Inquirer. 

late.  Others  are  checked  ;  and  though  they  do  not  seek 
God  with  all  their  heart,  yet  are  preserved  from  any 
strong-  and  full  manifestation  of  the  evil  principles 
which  lurk  mthin  them ;  and  others  are  kept  in  a 
correct  outward  form  of  religion  by  the  circumstances 
in  which  they  are  placed.  But  there  are  others,  and 
these  many  in  number,  perhaps  in  all  ranks  of  life,  who 
proceed  onwards  in  evil ;  and  I  will  go  on  to  describe 
in  part  their  condition, — the  condition,  that  is,  of  those 
in  whom  intellectual  power  is  fearfuUy  unfolded  amid  the 
neglect  of  moral  truth. 

The  most  common  case,  of  course,  is  that  of  those 
who,  with  their  principles  thus  unformed,  or  rather 
unsettled,  become  engaged,  in  the  ordinary  way,  in  the 
business  of  life.  Their  first  simplicity  of  character  went 
early.  The  violence  of  passion  followed,  and  was  in- 
dulged ;  and  it  is  gone,  too,  leaving  (without  their 
suspecting  it)  most  baneful  effects  on  their  mind; 
just  as  some  diseases  silently  change  the  constitution 
of  the  body.  Lastly,  a  vain  reason  has  put  into  disorder 
their  notions  about  moral  propriety  and  duty,  both  as  to 
religion  and  the  conduct  of  life.  It  is  quite  plain,  that, 
having  nothing  of  that  faith  which  "  overcomes  the 
world,"  they  must  be  overcome  by  it.  Let  it  not  be 
supposed  I  am  speaking  of  some  strange  case  which 
does  not  concern  us ;  for  what  we  know,  it  concerns 
some  of  us  most  nearly.  The  issue  of  our  youthful 
trial  in  good  and  evil,  probably  has  had  somewhat  of 
a  decided  character  one  way  or  the  other ;  and  we  may 
be  quite  sure  that,  if  it  has  issued  in  evil,  we  shall  not 
know  it.     Deadness  to  the  voice  of  God,  hardness  of 


The  Self -wise  Inquirer.  11^ 

heart,  is  one  of  the  very  symptoms  of  unbelief.  God^s 
judgments^  whether  to  the  world  or  the  individual,  are 
not  loudly  spoken.  The  decree  goes  forth  to  build  or 
destroy  ',  Angels  hear  it ;  but  we  go  on  in  the  way  of 
the  world  as  usual,  though  our  souls  may  have  been,  at 
least  for  a  season,  abandoned  by  God.  I  mean,  that  it 
is  not  at  all  unlikely  that,  in  the  case  of  some  of  those 
who  now  hear  me,  a  great  part  of  their  professed  faith 
is  a  mere  matter  of  words,  not  ideas  and  principles  ;  that 
what  opinions  they  really  hold  by  any  exertion  of  their 
own  minds,  have  been  reached  by  the  mere  exercise  of 
their  intellect,  the  random  and  accidental  use  of  their 
mere  reasoning  powers,  whether  they  be  strong  or  not, 
and  are  not  the  resvdt  of  habitual,  firm,  and  progressive 
obedience  to  God,  not  the  knowledge  which  an  honest 
and  good  heart  imparts.  Our  religious  notions  may  lie 
on  the  mere  surface  of  our  minds,  and  have  no  root 
within  them ;  and  (I  say)  from  this  circumstance, — 
that  the  indulgence  of  early  passions,  though  forgotten 
now,  and  the  misapplication  of  reason  in  our  youth, 
have  left  an  indelibly  evil  character  upon  our  heart,  a 
judicial  hardness  and  blindness.  Let  us  think  of  this ; 
it  may  be  the  state  of  those  who  have  had  to  endure  only 
ordinary  temptations,  from  the  growth  of  that  reasoning 
faculty  with  which  we  are  all  gifted. 

But  when  that  gift  of  reason  is  something  especial, — 
clear,  brilliant,  or  powerful, — then  our  danger  is  in- 
creased. The  first  sin  of  men  of  superior  under- 
standing is  to  value  themselves  upon  it,  and  look  down 
upon  others.  They  make  intellect  the  measure  of  praise 
and  blame ;  and  instead  of  considering  a  common  faith 


224  7^^^  Self-zvise  Inquirer. 

to  be  the  bond  of  union  between  Christian  and  Christian, 
they  dream  of  some  other  fellowship  of  civilization, 
refinement,  literature,  science,  or  general  mental  illu- 
mination, to  unite  gifted  minds  one  with  another. 
Having-  thus  cast  down  moral  excellence  from  its  true 
station,  and  set  up  the  usurping  empire  of  mere  reason, 
next,  they  place  a  value  upon  all  truths  exactly  in  pro- 
portion to  the  possibility  of  proving  them  by  means  of 
that  mere  reason.  Hence,  moral  and  religious  truths 
are  thought  little  of  by  them,  because  they  fall  under 
the  province  of  Conscience  far  more  than  of  the  intellect. 
Eleligion  sinks  in  their  estimation,  or  becomes  of  no 
account ;  they  begin  to  think  all  religions  alike ;  and  no 
wonder,  for  they  are  like  men  who  have  lost  the  faculty 
of  discerning  colours,  and  who  never,  by  any  exercise  of 
reason,  can  make  out  the  difference  between  white  and 
black.  As  to  the  code  of  morals,  they  acknowledge  it  in 
a  measure,  that  is,  so  far  as  its  dicta  can  be  proved  by 
reasoning,  by  an  appeal  to  sight,  and  to  expedience, 
and  without  reference  to  a  natural  sense  of  right  and 
wrong  as  the  sanction  of  these  informants.  Thinking 
much  of  intellectual  advancement,  they  are  much  bent 
on  improving  the  world  by  making  all  men  intellectual ; 
and  they  labour  to  convince  themselves,  that  as  men 
grow  in  knowledge  they  will  grow  in  virtue. 

As  they  proceed  in  their  course  of  judicial  blindness, 
from  undervaluing  they  learn  to  despise  or  to  hate  the 
authority  of  Conscience.  They  treat  it  as  a  weakness, 
to  which  all  men  indeed  are  subject, — they  themselves 
in  the  number, — especially  in  seasons  of  sickness,  but  of 
which  they  have  cause  to  be  ashamed.     The  notions  of 


The  Self -wise  Inquirer.  22  § 

better  men  about  an  over-ruling"  Providence,  and  the 
Divine  will,  designs,  appointments,  works,  judgments, 
tiiey  treat  with  scorn,  as  irrational ;  especially  if  (as  will 
often  be  the  case)  these  notions  are  conveyed  in  incorrect 
language,  with  some  accidental  confusion  or  intellectual 
weakness  of  expression. 

And  all  these  inducements  to  live  by  sight  and  not  by 
faith  are  greatly  increased,  when  men  are  engaged  in  any 
pursuit  which  properly  belongs  to  the  intellect.  Hence 
sciences  conversant  with  experiments  on  the  material 
creation,  tend  to  make  men  forget  the  existence  of  spirit 
and  the  Lord  of  spirits. 

I  will  not  pursue  the  course  of  infidelity  into  its  worst 
and  grossest  forms ;  but  it  may  be  instructive,  before  I 
conclude,  to  take  the  case  of  such  a  man  as  I  have  been 
describing,  when  under  the  influence  of  some  relentings 
of  conscience  towards  the  close  of  his  life. 

This  is  a  case  of  no  unfrequent  occurrence ;  that  is,  it 
must  frequently  happen  that  the  most  hardened  con- 
science is  at  times  visited  by  sudden  compunctions, 
though  generally  they  are  but  momentary.  But  it 
sometimes  happens,  further  than  this,  that  a  man,  from 
one  cause  or  other,  feels  he  is  not  in  a  safe  state,  and 
struggles  with  himself,  and  the  struggle  terminates  in  a 
manner  which  affords  a  fresh  illustration  of  the  working 
of  that  wisdom  of  the  world  which  in  God's  sight  is 
foolishness. 

How  shall  a  sinner,  who  has  formed  his  character 
upon  unbelief,  trusting  sight  and  reason  rather  than 
Conscience  and  Scripture,  how  shall  he  begin  to  repent? 
What  must  he  do  ?     Is  it  possible  he  can  overcome  him- 


226  The  Self -wise  Inquirer. 

self,  and  new  make  his  heart  in  the  end  of  his  days  ?  It 
M  possible, — not  with  man,  but  with  God,  who  gives 
grace  to  all  who  ask  for  it;  but  in  only  one  way,  in  the 
way  of  His  commandments,  by  a  slow,  tedious,  toilsome 
self-discipline;  slow,  tedious,  and  toilsome,  that  is,  to 
one  who  has  been  long  hardening  himself  in  a  dislike  of 
it,  and  indulging  himself  in  the  rapid  flights  and  easy 
victories  of  his  reason.  There  is  but  one  way  to  heaven; 
the  narrow  way ;  and  he  who  sets  about  to  seek  God, 
though  in  old  age,  must  enter  it  at  the  same  door  as  others. 
He  must  retrace  his  way,  and  begin  again  with  the  very 
beginning  as  if  he  were  a  boy.  And  so  proceeding, — 
labouring,  watching,  and  praying", — he  seems  likely,  after 
all,  to  make  but  Httle  progress  during  the  brief  remnant 
of  his  life ;  both  because  the  time  left  to  him  is  short, 
and  because  he  has  to  undo  while  he  does  a  work ; — he 
has  to  overcome  that  resistance  from  his  old  stout  will 
and  hardened  heart,  which  in  youth  he  would  not  have 
experienced. 

Now  it  is  plain  how  humbling  this  is  to  his  pride  :  he 
wishes  to  be  saved ;  but  he  cannot  stoop  to  be  a  penitent 
all  his  days  :  to  beg  he  is  ashamed.  Therefore  he  looks 
about  for  other  means  of  finding  a  safe  hope.  And  one 
way  among  others  by  which  he  deceives  himself,  is  this 
same  idea  that  he  may  gain  religious  knowledge  merely 
by  his  reason. 

Thus  it  happens,  that  men  who  have  led  profligate 
lives  in  their  youth,  or  who  have  passed  their  days  in 
the  pursuit  of  wealth,  or  in  some  other  excitement  of  the 
world,  not  unfrequently  settle  down  into  heresies  in  their 
latter  years.     Before,  perhaps,  they  professed  nothing. 


The  Self -wise  Inquirer.  itj 

and  suffered  themselves  to  be  called  Christians  and 
members  of  the  Church ;  but  at  length,  roused  to  inquire 
after  truth,  and  forgetting  that  the  pure  in  heart  alone 
can  see  God,  and  therefore  that  they  must  begin  by  a 
moral  reformation,  by  self-denial,  they  inquire  merely 
by  the  way  of  reasoning.  No  wonder  they  err;  they 
cannot  understand  any  part  of  the  Churches  system 
whether  of  doctrine  or  discipline ;  yet  they  think  them- 
selves judges ;  and  they  treat  the  most  sacred  ordinances 
and  the  most  solemn  doctrines,  with  scorn  and  irrever- 
ence. Thus  "  the  last  state  of  such  men  is  worse  than 
the  first.^^  In  the  words  of  the  text,  they  ought  to  have 
become  fools,  that  they  might  have  been  in  the  end 
really  wise ;  but  they  prefer  another  way,  and  are  taken 
in  their  own  craftiness. 

May  we  ever  bear  in  mind,  that  the  "  fear  of  the  Lord 
is  the  beginning  of  wisdom ' ;"  that  obedience  to  our 
conscience,  in  all  things,  great  and  small,  is  the  way  to 
know  the  Truth;  that  pride  hardens  the  heart,  and  sen- 
suality debases  it;  and  that  all  those  who  live  in  pride 
and  sensual  indulgence,  can  no  more  comprehend  the 
way  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  or  know  the  voice  of  Christ, 
than  the  devils  who  believe  with  a  dead  faith  and 
tremble ! 

"  Blessed  are  they  that  do  His  commandments,  that 
they  may  have  right  to  the  tree  of  life,  and  may  enter  in 
through  the  gates  into  the  city^^  .  .  .  where  there  is 
"  no  need  of  the  sun,  neither  of  the  moon  to  shine  in  it ; 
for  the  glory  of  God  doth  lighten  it,  and  the  Lamb  is 
the  light  thereof  V 

'  Prov.  i.  7.  2  liev.  jxi.  23  ;  xxii.  14 


SERMON    XVI  H. 
aDIieDieiuc  rljc  EemeDp  foe  Eeligioucf  ^erpto't?. 

"  Wait  on  the  Lord,  and  keep  J/is  way,  and  He  shall  exalt  thee  to 
inherit  the  land. " — PsALM  xxxvii.  34. 

rpHE  Psalm  from  which  I  have  taken  my  text,  is 
-"-  written  with  a  view  of  encouraging  good  men  who 
are  in  perplexity, — and  especially  perplexity  concerning 
God's  designs,  providence,  and  will,  "  Fret  not  thy- 
self;" this  is  the  lesson  it  inculcates  from  first  to  last. 
This  world  is  in  a  state  of  confusion.  Unworthy  men 
prosper,  and  are  looked  on  as  the  greatest  men  of  the 
time.  Truth  and  goodness  are  thrown  into  the  shade ; 
but  wait  patiently, — peace,  be  still;  in  the  end,  the 
better  side  shall  triumph, — the  meek  shall  inherit  the 
earth. 

Doubtless  the  Church  is  in  great  darkness  and 
perplexity  under  the  Christian  dispensation,  as  well 
as  under  the  Jewish.  Not  that  Christianity  does  not 
explain  to  us  the  most  important  religious  questions, — 
which  it  does  to  our  great  comfort ;  but  that,  from  the 
nature  of  the  case,  imperfect  beings,  as  we  are,  must 
always  be,  on  the  whole,  in  a  state  of  darkness.     Nay^ 


Obedience  the  Remedy,  &c.  22g 

the  very  doctrines  of  the  New  Testament  themselves 
bring  with  them  their  own  peculiar  difficulties ;  and,  till 
we  learn  to  quiet  our  minds,  and  to  school  them  into 
submission  to  God,  we  shall  probably  find  more  per- 
plexity than  information  even  in  what  St.  Paul  calls 
"  the  light  of  the  glorious  Gospel  of  Christ '/'  Revela- 
tion was  not  given  us  to  satisfy  doubts,  but  to  make  us 
better  men ;  and  it  is  as  we  become  better  men,  that  it 
becomes  light  and  peace  to  our  souls ;  though  even  to 
the  end  of  our  lives  we  shall  find  difficidties  both  in  it 
and  in  the  world  around  us. 

I  will  make  some  remarks  to-day  on  the  case  of  those 
who,  though  they  are  in  the  whole  honest  inquirers  in 
religion,  yet  are  more  or  less  in  perplexity  and  anxiety, 
and  so  are  discouraged. 

The  use  of  difficulties  to  all  of  us  in  our  trial  in  this 
world  is  obvious.  Our  faith  is  variously  assailed  by 
doubts  and  difficulties,  in  order  to  prove  its  sincerity. 
If  we  really  love  God  and  His  Son,  we  shall  go  on  in 
spite  of  opposition,  even  though,  as  in  the  case  of  the 
Canaanitish  woman.  He  seem  to  repel  us.  If  we  are 
not  in  earnest,  difficulty  makes  us  turn  back.  This 
is  one  of  the  ways  in  which  God  separates  the  corn 
from  the  chafi",  gradually  gathering  each,  as  time  goes 
on,  into  its  own  heap,  till  the  end  comes,  when  "  He 
will  gather  the  wheat  into  His  garner,  but  the  chafi"  He 
will  bum  with  fire  unquenchable*.'^ 

Now,  I  am  aware  that  to  some  persons  it  may  sound 
strange  to  speak  of  difficulties  in  religion,  for  they  find 

>  2  Cor.  iv,  4.  «  Luke  iii.  17. 


230  Obedience  the  Remedy 

none  at  all.  But  though  it  is  true,  that  the  earlier 
we  beg-in  to  seek  God  in  earnest,  the  less  of  difficulty 
and  perplexity  we  are  likely  to  endure,  yet  this  ignorance 
of  religious  difficulties  in  a  great  many  cases,  I  fear, 
arises  from  ignorance  of  religion  itself.  When  our 
hearts  are  not  in  our  work,  and  we  are  but  carried 
on  with  the  stream  of  the  world,  continuing  in  the 
Church  because  we  find  ourselves  there,  observing 
religious  ordinances  merely  because  we  are  used  to 
them,  and  professing  to  be  Christians  because  others 
do,  it  is  not  to  be  expected  that  we  should  know  what 
it  is  to  feel  ourselves  wrong,  and  unable  to  get  right, — 
to  feel  doubt,  anxiety,  disappointment,  discontent; 
whereas,  when  our  minds  are  awakened,  and  we  see 
that  there  is  a  right  way  and  a  wrong  way,  and  that 
we  have  much  to  learn,  when  we  try  to  gain  religious 
knowledge  from  Scripture,  and  to  apply  it  to  our  selves, 
then  from  time  to  time  we  are  troubled  with  doubts  and 
misgivings,  and  are  oppressed  with  gloom. 

To  all  those  who  are  perplexed  in  any  way  soever, 
who  wish  for  light  but  cannot  find  it,  one  precept  must 
be  given, — ohey.  It  is  obedience  which  brings  a  man 
into  the  right  path;  it  is  obedience  keeps  him  there 
and  strengthens  him  in  it.  Under  all  circumstances, 
whatever  be  the  cause  of  his  distress, — obey.  In  the 
words  of  the  text,  "  Wait  on  the  Lord,  and  keep  His 
way,  and  He  shall  exalt  thee." 

Let  us  apply  this  exhortation  to  the  case  of  those 
who  have  but  lately  taken  up  the  subject  of  religion  at 
all.  Every  science  has  its  difficulties  at  first;  why 
then  should  the  science  of  living  well  be  without  them  ? 


for  Religious  Perplexity.  231 

When  the  subject  of  religion  is  new  to  us,  it  is  strange. 
We  have  heard  truths  all  our  lives  without  feeling  them 
duly ;  at  length,  when  they  affect  us,  we  cannot  believe 
them  to  be  the  same  we  have  long  known.  We  are 
thrown  out  of  our  fixed  notions  of  things ;  an  em- 
barrassment ensues  j  a  general  painful  uncertainty. 
We  say,  ''Is  the  Bible  true?  Is  it  possible?*^  and 
are  distressed  by  evil  doubts,  which  we  can  hardly  ex- 
plain to  ourselves,  much  less  to  others.  No  one  can 
help  us.  And  the  relative  importance  of  present  objects 
is  so  altered  from  what  it  was,  that  we  can  scarcely 
form  any  judgment  upon  them,  or  when  we  attempt 
it,  we  form  a  wrong  judgment.  Our  eyes  do  not  accom- 
modate themselves  to  the  various  distances  of  the  objects 
before  us,  and  are  dazzled;  or  like  the  blind  man  restored 
to  sight,  we  "  see  men  as  trees,  walking  \'''  Moreover, 
our  judgment  of  persons,  as  well  as  of  things,  is  changed; 
and,  if  not  every  where  changed,  yet  at  first  every  where 
suspected  by  ourselves.  And  this  general  distrust  of 
ourselves  is  the  greater  the  longer  we  have  been  already 
living  in  inattention  to  sacred  subjects,  and  the  more 
we  now  are  humbled  and  ashamed  of  ourselves.  And 
it  leads  us  to  take  up  with  the  first  religious  guide 
who  offers  himself  to  us,  whatever  be  his  real  fitness  for 
the  office. 

To  these  agitations  of  mind  about  what  is  truth  and 
what  is  error,  is  added  an  anxiety  about  ourselves, 
which,  however  sincere,  is  apt  to  lead  us  wrong.  We 
do  not  feel,  think,  and  act  as  religiously  as  we  covdd 

1  Mark  viii.  84. 


232  Obedietue  the  Remedy 

wish ;  and  while  we  are  sorry  for  it,  we  are  alec 
(perhaps)  somewhat  surprised  at  it,  and  impatient  at 
it, — which  is  natural  but  unreasonable.  Instead  of 
reflecting  that  we  are  just  setting  about  our  recovery 
from  a  most  serious  disease  of  long-  standing,  we  con- 
ceive we  ought  to  be  able  to  trace  the  course  of  our 
recovery  by  a  sensible  improvement.  This  same  im- 
patience is  seen  in  persons  who  are  recovering  fi'om 
bodily  indisposition.  They  gain  strength  slowly,  and 
are  better  perhaps  for  some  days,  and  then  worse  again ; 
and  a  slight  relapse  dispirits  them.  In  the  same  way, 
when  we  begin  to  seek  God  in  earnest,  we  are  apt,  not 
only  to  be  humbled  (which  we  ought  to  be),  but  to  be 
discouraged  at  the  slowness  with  which  we  are  able  to 
amend,  in  spite  of  all  the  assistances  of  God^s  grace. 
Forgetting  that  our  proper  title  at  very  best  is  that 
of  penitent  sinners,  we  seek  to  rise  all  at  once  into  the 
blessedness  of  the  sons  of  God.  This  impatience  leads 
us  to  misuse  the  purpose  of  self-examination ;  which 
is  principally  intended  to  inform  us  of  our  sins,  whereas 
we  are  disappointed  if  it  does  not  at  once  tell  us  of  oui 
improvement.  Doubtless,  in  a  length  of  time  we  shall 
be  conscious  of  improvement  too,  but  the  object  of 
ordinary  self-examination  is  to  find  out  whether  we 
are  in  earnest,  and  again,  what  we  have  done  wrong, 
in  order  that  we  may  pray  for  pardon,  and  do  better. 
Further,  reading  in  Scripture  how  exalted  the  thoughts 
and  spirit  of  Christians  should  be,  we  are  apt  to  forget 
that  a  Christian  spirit  is  the  growth  of  time ;  and  that 
we  cannot  force  it  upon  our  minds,  however  desirable 
and  necessary  it  may  be  to  possess  it ;  that  by  givmg 


for  Religious  Perplexity.  233 

tttterance  to  relig-ious  sentiments  we  do  not  become 
religious,  rather  the  reverse;  whereas,  if  we  strove  to 
obey  God's  will  in  all  things,  we  actually  should  be 
gradually  training  our  hearts  into  the  fulness  of  a 
Christian  spirit.  But  not  understanding  this,  men  are 
led  to  speak  much  and  expressly  upon  sacred  subjects, 
as  if  it  were  a  duty  to  do  so,  and  in  the  hope  of  its 
making  them  better;  and  they  measure  their  advance 
in  faith  and  holiness,  not  by  their  power  of  obeying 
God  in  practice,  mastering  their  wUls,  and  becoming 
more  exact  in  their  daily  duties,  but  by  the  warmth 
and  energy  of  their  religious  feelings.  And,  when 
they  cannot  sustain  these  to  that  height  which  they 
consider  almost  the  characteristic  of  a  true  Christian, 
then  they  are  discouraged,  and  tempted  to  despair. 
Added  to  this,  sometimes  their  old  sins,  reviving  from 
the  slumber  into  which  they  have  been  cast  for  a  time, 
rush  over  their  minds,  and  seem  prepared  to  take  them 
captive.  They  cry  to  God  for  aid,  but  He  seems  not 
to  hear  them,  and  they  know  not  which  way  to  look  for 
safety. 

Now  such  persons  must  be  reminded  first  of  all,  of 
the  greatness  of  the  work  which  they  have  undertaken, 
viz.  the  sanctification  of  their  souls.  Those,  indeed, 
who  think  this  an  easy  task,  or  (which  comes  to  the  same 
thing)  who  think  that,  though  hard  in  itself,  it  will 
be  easy  to  them,  for  God's  grace  will  take  all  the 
toil  of  it  from  them,  such  men  of  course  must  be  dis- 
appointed on  finding  by  experience  the  force  of  their 
original  evil  nature,  and  the  extreme  slowness  with 
which  even  a  Christian  is  able  to  improve   it.      And 


234  Obedience  the  Remedy 

it  is  to  be  feared  that  this  disappointment  in  some 
cases  issues  in  a  belief  that  it  is  impossible  to  over- 
come our  evil  selves;  that  bad  we  are,  bad  we  must 
be;  that  our  innate  corruption  lies  like  a  load  in  our 
heartsj  and  no  more  admits  of  improvement  than  a 
stone  does  of  light  and  thought ;  and,  in  consequence, 
that  all  we  have  to  do,  is  to  believe  in  Christ  who  is  to 
save  us,  and  to  dwell  on  the  thoughts  of  His  perfect 
work  for  us, — that  this  is  all  we  can  do, — and  that 
it  is  presumption  as  well  as  folly  to  attempt  more. 

But  what  says  the  text  ?  "  Wait  on  the  Lord  and 
keep  His  way/^  And  Isaiah  ?  "  They  that  wait  upon 
the  Lord  shall  renew  their  strength;  they  shall  mount 
up  with  wings  like  eagles;  they  shall  run,  and  not  be 
weary ;  and  they  shall  walk,  and  not  faint  '/^  And  St. 
Paul  ?  "I  can  do  all  things  through  Christ  which 
strengtheneth  me  '.'^  The  very  fruit  of  Christ^s  passion 
was  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  was  to  enable  us 
to  do  what  otherwise  we  could  not  do — "  to  work  out  our 
own  salvation  *.*' — Yet,  while  we  must  aim  at  this,  and 
feel  convinced  of  our  ability  to  do  it  at  length  through 
the  gifts  bestowed  on  us,  we  cannot  do  it  rightly  without 
a  deep  settled  conviction  of  the  exceeding  difficulty  oi 
the  work.  That  is,  not  only  shall  we  be  tempted  to 
negligence,  but  to  impatience  also,  and  thence  into  all 
kinds  of  unlawful  treatments  of  the  soul,  if  we  be 
possessed  by  a  notion  that  religious  discipline  soon  be- 
comes easy  to  the  believer,  and  that  the  heart  is  speedily 
changed.     Christ^s  "yoke  is  easy*:''  true,  to  those  who 

«  Isa.  xl.  31.  «  Phil,  iv,  13.  3   Phil,  ii- 12.         ♦  Matt.  xi.  30. 


for  Religious  Perplexity.  235 

are  accustomed  to  it,  not  to  the  unbroken  neck.  "  Wis- 
dom is  very  unpleasant  to  the  unlearned  (says  the  son  of 
Sirach),  he  that  is  without  understanding  will  not 
remain  with  her/'  '^  At  the  first  she  will  walk  with  him 
by  crooked  ways,  and  bring  fear  and  dread  upon  him, 
and  torment  him  with  her  discipline,  until  she  may  trust 
his  soul  and  try  him  by  her  laws.  Then  will  she  return 
the  straight  way  unto  him,  and  comfort  him,  and  show 
him  her  secrets  ^" 

Let,  then,  every  beginner  make  up  his  mind  to  suffer 
disquiet  and  perplexity.  He  cannot  complain  that  it 
should  be  so ;  and  though  he  should  be  deeply  ashamed  of 
himself  that  it  is  so  (for  had  he  followed  God  from  a 
child,  his  condition  would  have  been  far  different,  though, 
even  then  perhaps,  not  without  some  perplexities), 
still  he  has  no  cause  to  be  surprised  or  discouraged. 
The  more  he  makes  up  his  mind  manfully  to  bear 
doubt,  struggle  against  it,  and  meekly  to  do  God's 
will  all  through  it,  the  sooner  this  unsettled  state 
of  mind  will  cease,  and  order  will  rise  out  of  confu- 
sion. "  Wait  on  the  Lord,''  this  is  the  rule ;  "  keep 
His  way,"  this  is  the  manner  of  waiting.  Go  about 
your  duty;  mind  little  things  as  well  as  great.  Do 
not  pause,  and  say,  "  I  am  as  I  was ;  day  after  day 
passes,  and  still  no  light ;"  go  on.  It  is  very  painful  to 
be  haunted  by  wandering  doubts,  to  have  thoughts 
shoot  across  the  mind  about  the  reality  of  religion 
altogether,  or  of  this  or  that  particular  doctrine  of  it,  or 
about  the  correctness  of  one's  own  faith,  and  the  safety  of 

»  Ecclus.  vi.  20 ;  iv.  17, 18. 


2^6  Obedience  the  Remedy 

one's  own  state.  But  it  must  be  rig-ht  to  serve  God ; 
we  have  a  voice  within  us  answering  to  the  injunction  in 
the  text,  of  waiting-  on  Him  and  keeping  His  way. 
David  confesses  it.  "  When  Thou  saidst,  Seek  ye  My 
face ;  my  heart  said  unto  Thee,  Thy  face,  Lord,  will  I 
seek '."  —And  surely  such  obedient  waiting  upon  Him 
will  obtain  His  blessing.  "  Blessed  are  they  that  keep 
His  commandments.'^  And  besides  this  express  promise, 
even  if  we  had  to  seek  for  a  way  to  understand  His 
perfect  will,  could  we  conceive  one  of  greater  promise 
than  that  of  beginning  with  little  things,  and  so 
gradually  making  progress  ?  In  all  other  things  is  not 
this  the  way  to  perfection  ?  Does  not  a  child  learn  to 
walk  short  distances  at  first  ?  Who  would  attempt  to 
bear  great  weights  before  he  had  succeeded  with  the 
lesser  ?  It  is  from  God's  great  goodness  that  our  daily 
constant  duty  is  placed  in  the  performance  of  small  and 
comparatively  easy  services.  To  be  dutiful  and  obedient 
in  ordinary  matters,  to  speak  the  truth,  to  be  honest,  to 
be  sober,  to  keep  from  sinful  words  and  thoughts,  to  be 
kind  and  forgiving, — and  all  this  for  our  Saviour's  sake, 
— let  us  attempt  these  duties  first.  They  even  will  be 
difficult, — the  least  of  them ;  still  they  are  much  easier 
than  the  solution  of  the  doubts  which  harass  us,  and 
they  will  by  degrees  give  us  a  practical  knowledge  of  the 
Truth. 

To  take  one  instance,  out  of  many  which  might  be 
given  :  suppose  we  have  any  perplexing,  indescribable 
doubts  about  the  Divine  power  of  our  Blessed  Lord,  or 

»  Ps.  xxvu.  8. 


for  Religious  Perplexity.  237 

oonceming  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity;  well,  let  us 
leave  the  subject  and  turn  to  do  God^s  will.  If  we  do  this 
in  faith  and  humility^  we  shall  in  time  find  that,  while 
we  have  been  obeying  our  Saviour's  precepts,  and 
imitating  His  conduct  in  the  Gospels,  our  difficulties 
have  been  removed,  though  it  may  take  time  to  remove 
them ;  and  though  we  are  not,  during  the  time,  sensible 
of  what  is  going  on.  There  may,  indeed,  be  eases  in 
which  they  are  never  removed  entirely, — and  in  which 
doubtless  some  great  and  good  object  is  secured  by  the 
trial ;  but  we  may  fairly  and  safely  look  out  for  a  more 
comfortable  issue.  And  so  as  regards  all  our  difficulties. 
"  Wait  on  the  Lord,  and  keep  His  way,''  His  word  is 
sure  ;  we  may  safely  trust  it.  We  shall  gain  light  as  to 
general  doctrines  by  embodying  them  in  those  particular 
instances  in  which  they  become  ordinary  duties.  But  it 
too  often  happens,  that  from  one  cause  or  other  men  do 
not  pursue  this  simple  method  of  gradually  extricating 
themselves  from  error. — They  seek  some  new  path 
which  promises  to  be  shorter  and  easier  than  the  lowly 
and  the  circuitous  way  of  obedience.  They  wish  to 
arrive  at  the  heights  of  Mount  Zion  without  winding 
round  its  base  ;  and  at  first  (it  must  be  confessed)  they 
seem  to  make  greater  progress  than  those  who  are 
content  to  wait,  and  work  righteousness.  Impatient  of 
^'  sitting  in  darkness,  and  having  no  light,"  and  of 
completing  the  Prophet's  picture  of  a  saint  in  trouble, 
"  by  fearing  the  Lord,  and  obeying  the  voice  of  His 
servant  *,"    they    expect    Lo    gain   speedy    peace    and 

•  Iaft.i.  10. 


238  Obedience  the  Remedy 

holiness  by  means  of  new  teachers,  and  by  a  new 
doctrine. 

Many  are  misled  by  confidence  in  themselves.  They 
look  back  at  the  first  seasons  of  their  repentance  and 
conversion,  as  if  the  time  of  their  greatest  knowledge  ; 
and  instead  of  considering  that  their  earliest  religious 
notions  were  probably  the  most  confused  and  mixed  with 
error,  and  therefore  endeavouring  to  separate  the  good 
from  the  bad,  they  consecrate  all  they  then  felt  as  a 
standard  of  doctrine  to  which  they  are  bound  to  appeal ; 
and  as  to  the  opinion  of  others,  they  think  little  of  it, 
for  religion  being  a  new  subject  to  themselves,  they  are 
easily  led  to  think  it  must  be  a  new  and  untried 
subject  to  others  also,  especially,  since  the  best  men 
are  often  the  least  willing  to  converse,  except  in  private, 
on  religious  subjects,  and  still  more  averse  to  speak  of 
them  to  those  who  they  think  will  not  value  them 
rightly. 

But,  leaving  the  mention  of  those  who  err  from  self- 
confidence,  I  would  rather  lament  over  such  as  are  led 
away  from  the  path  of  plain  simple  obedience  by  a  com- 
pliance with  the  views  and  wishes  of  those  around  them. 
Such  persons  there  are  all  through  the  Church,  and 
ever  have  been.  Such  perhaps  have  been  many  Chris- 
tians in  the  communion  of  the  Church  of  Rome ;  who, 
feeling  deeply  the  necessity  of  a  religious  life,  yet  strive 
by  means  different  from  those  which  God  has  blessed,  to 
gain  His  favour.  They  begin  religion  at  the  very  end 
of  it,  and  make  those  observances  and  rules  the  chief 
means  of  pleasing  Him,  which  in  fact  should  be  but  the 
spontaneous  acts  of  the  formed  Christian  temper.     And 


for  Religious  Perplexity  239 

others  among  ourselves  are  bound  by  a  similar  yoke  of 
bondage^  though  it  be  more  speciously  disguised^  when 
they  subject  their  minds  to  certain  unscriptural  rules, 
and  fancy  they  must  separate  in  some  self-devised  way 
from  the  world,  and  that  they  must  speak  and  act 
according  to  some  arbitrary  and  novel  form  of  doctrine, 
which  they  try  to  set  before  themselves,  instead  of 
endeavouring  to  imbue  their  hearts  with  that  free, 
unconstrained  spirit  of  devotion,  which  lowly  obedience  in 
ordinary  matters  would  imperceptibly  form  within  them. 
How  many  are  there,  more  or  less  such,  who  love  the 
Truth,  and  would  fain  do  God^s  will,  who  yet  are  led 
aside  and  walk  in  bondage,  while  they  are  promised 
superior  light  and  freedom  !  They  desire  to  be  living 
members  of  the  Church,  and  they  anxiously  seek  out 
whatever  they  can  admire  in  the  true  sons  of  the  Church; 
but  they  feel  forced  to  measure  every  thing  by  a  certain 
superstitious  standard  which  they  revere, — they  are 
frightened  at  shadows,  —  and  thus  they  are,  from  time  to 
time,  embarrassed  and  perplexed,  whenever,  that  is,  they 
cannot  reconcile  the  conduct  and  lives  of  those  who  are 
really,  and  whom  they  wish  to  believe  eminent  Chris- 
tians, with  that  false  religious  system  which  they  have 
adopted. 

Before  concluding,  I  must  notice  one  other  state  of 
mind  in  which  the  precept  of  "  waiting  on  God  and 
keeping  His  way,^^  will  avail,  above  all  others,  to  lead 
right  a  doubting  and  perplexed  mind. 

It  sometimes  happens,  from  ill  health  or  other  cause, 
that  persons  fall  into  religious  despondency.  They 
fancy  that  they  have  so  abused  God^s  mercy  that  there 


240  Obedience  the  Remedy 

is  no  hope  for  them ;  that  once  they  knew  the  Truth, 
but  that  now  it  is  withdrawn  from  them ;  that  they 
have  haxl  warnings  which  they  have  neg-leeted,  and  now 
they  are  left  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  given  over  to 
Satan.  Then,  they  recoUect  divers  passages  of  Scrip- 
ture, which  speak  of  the  peril  of  falling  away,  and  they 
apply  these  to  their  own  case.  Now  I  speak  of  such  in- 
stances, only  so  far  as  they  can  be  called  ailments  of 
the  mind, — for  often  they  must  be  treated  as  ailments  of 
the  body.  As  far  as  they  are  mental,  let  us  observe  how 
it  will  conduce  to  restore  the  quiet  of  the  mind,  to  attend 
to  the  humble  ordinary  duties  of  our  station,  that  walk- 
ing in  God's  way,  of  which  the  text  speaks.  Sometimes, 
indeed,  persons  thus  afflicted  increase  their  disorder  by 
attempting  to  console  themselves  by  those  elevated 
Christian  doctrines  which  St.  Paul  enlarges  on;  and 
others  encourage  them  in  it.  But  St.  PauFs  doctrine  is 
not  intended  for  weak  and  unstable  minds*.  He  says 
himself :  "  We  speak  wisdom  among  them  that  are 
'perfect ;"  not  to  those  who  are  (what  he  calls)  "  babes 
in  Christ  *."  In  proportion  as  we  gain  strength,  we 
shall  be  able  to  understand  and  profit  by  the  full 
promises  of  the  Christian  covenant;  but  those  who  are 
confused,  agitated,  restless  in  their  minds,  who  busy 
themselves  with  many  thoughts,  and  are  overwhelmed 
with  conflicting  feelings,  such  persons  are,  in  general, 
made  more  restless  and  more  unhappy  (as  the  experience 
of  sick  beds  may  show  us),  by  holding  out  to  them 
doctrines    and   assurances   which    they  cannot    rightly 

»  2  Pet.  iii.  16.  «  1  Coi .  ii.  6  ;  iiu  1. 


for  Religious  Perplexity.  241 

apprehend.  Now,  not  to  speak  of  that  peculiar  blessing 
which  is  promised  to  obedience  to  God^s  will,  let  us 
observe  how  well  it  is  calculated,  by  its  natural  effect,  to 
soothe  and  calm  the  mind.  When  we  set  about  to  obey 
God,  in  the  ordinary  businesses  of  daily  life,  we  are  at 
once  interested  by  realities  which  withdraw  our  minds 
from  vague  fears  and  uncertain  indefinite  surmises  about 
the  future.  Without  laying  aside  the  thoughts  of  Christ 
(the  contrary),  still  we  learn  to  view  Him  in  His 
tranquil  providence,  before  we  set  about  contemplating 
His  greater  works,  and  we  are  saved  from  taking  an 
unchristian  thought  for  the  morrow,  while  we  are  busied 
in  present  services.  Thus  our  Saviour  gradually  dis- 
closes Himself  to  the  troubled  mind;  not  as  He  is  in 
heaven,  as  when  He  struck  down  Saul  to  the  ground, 
but  as  He  was  in  the  days  of  His  flesh,  eating  and 
conversing  among  His  brethren,  and  bidding  us,  in 
imitation  of  Him,  think  no  duty  beneath  the  notice  of 
those  who  sincerely  wish  to  please  God. 

Such  afflicted  inquirers,  then,  after  truth,  must  be  ex- 
horted to  keep  a  guard  upon  their  feelings,  and  to  con- 
trol their  hearts.  They  say  they  are  terrified  lest  they 
should  be  past  hope ;  and  they  will  not  be  persuaded 
that  God  is  all-merciful,  in  spite  of  all  the  Scriptures 
say  to  that  effect.  Well,  then,  I  would  take  them  on 
their  own  ground.  Supposing  their  state  to  be  as 
wretched  as  is  conceivable,  can  they  deny  it  is  their  duty 
now  to  serve  God  ?  Can  they  do  better  than  try  to 
serve  Him  ?  Job  said,  "  Though  He  slay  me,  yet  will 
I  trust  in  Him  ^"     They  say  they  do  not  wish  to  serve 

'  Job  xiii.  15 
[I]  R 


142  Obedience  the  Remedy 

God, — that  they  want  a  heart  to  serve  Him.  Let 
us  grant  (if  they  will  have  it  so),  that  they  are  most 
obdurate;  still  they  are  alive, — they  must  be  doing 
something,  and  can  they  do  aught  better  than  try  to 
quiet  themselves,  and  be  resigned,  and  to  do  right  rather 
than  wrong,  even  though  they  are  persuaded  that  it  does 
not  come  from  their  heart,  and  is  not  acceptable  to  God? 
They  say  they  dare  not  ask  for  God^s  grace  to  assist 
them.  This  is  doubtless  a  miserable  state :  still,  since 
they  must  act  in  some  way,  though  they  cannot  do  what 
is  really  good  without  His  grace,  yet,  at  least,  let  them 
do  what  seems  like  truth  and  goodness.  Nay,  though 
it  is  shocking  to  set  before  their  minds  such  a  prospect, 
yet  even  were  they  already  in  the  place  of  punishment, 
will  they  not  confess,  it  would  be  the  best  thing  they 
could  do,  to  commit  then  as  little  sin  as  possible  ?  Much 
more,  then,  now,  when,  even  if  they  have  no  hope,  their 
heart  at  least  is  not  so  entirely  hardened  as  it  will  be 
then. 

It  must  not  be  for  an  instant  supposed  I  am  admitting 
the  possibility  of  a  person  being  rejected  by  God,  who 
has  any  such  right  feelings  in  his  mind.  The  anxiety 
of  the  sufferers  I  have  been  describing,  shows  they  are 
still  under  the  influence  of  Divine  grace,  though  they 
will  not  allow  it ;  but  I  say  this,  to  give  another  in- 
stance in  which  a  determination  to  obey  God's  will 
strictly  in  ordinary  matters  tends,  through  His  blessing, 
to  calm  and  comfort  the  mind,  and  to  bring  it  out  of 
perplexity  into  the  clear  day. 

And  so  in  various  other  cases  which  might  be  re- 
coiinted.      Whatever    our   difficulty   be,  this  is   plain. 


for  Religious  Perplexity.  243 

"Wait  on  the  Lord,  and  keep  His  way,  and  He  shall 
exalt  thee/*  Or  in  our  Saviour's  words  :  "  He  that  hath 
My  commandments  and  keepeth  them,  he  it  is  that 
loveth  Me  \  and  he  that  loveth  Me,  shall  he  loved  of  My 
Father,  and  I  will  love  him,  and  will  manifest  Myself  to 
him."  "  Whosoever  shall  do  and  teach  these  least  com- 
mandments, shall  be  called  great  in  the  kingdom  of 
heaven."  "  Whosoever  hath,  to  him  shall  be  given,  and 
he  shall  have  more  abundance  1." 

1  John  xiv,  21,     Matt.  v.  19  5  xiii.  12. 


SERMON    XIX. 
%\mz<^  of  pn'tjate  Reaper* 

•'  Thou,  when  thou  pray  est,  enter  into  thy  closet,  and  when  thou  hasi 
shut  thy  door,  pray  to  thy  Father  which  is  in  secret;  and  thy  Father 
which  seeih  in  secret  shall  reward  thee  openly. " — Matt.  vi.  6. 

TTERE  is  our  Saviour's  own  sanction  and  blessing 
-'-■-  vouchsafed  to  private  prayer,  in  simple,  clear,  and 
most  gracious  words.  The  Pharisees  were  in  the 
practice,  when  they  prayed  by  themselves,  of  praying 
in  public ,  in  the  corners  of  the  streets ;  a  strange  in- 
consistency according  to  our  notions,  since  in  our 
language  prayer  by  oneself  is  even  called  private 
prayer.  Public  private  prayer,  this  was  their  self- 
contradictory  practice.  Warning,  then.  His  disciples 
against  the  particular  form  of  hy3)ocrisy  in  which  the 
self-conceit  of  human  nature  at  that  day  showed  itself, 
our  Lord  promises  in  the  text  His  Father's  blessing  on 
such  humble  supplications  as  were  really  addressed  to 
Him,  and  not  made  to  gain  the  praise  of  men.  Those 
who  seek  the  unseen  God  (He  seems  to  say),  seek  Him 
in  their  hearts  and  hidden  thoughts,  not  in  loud  words, 
as  if  He  were  far  off  from  them.      Such  men  would 


Times  of  Private  Prayer.  245 

retire  from  the  world  into  places  where  no  human  eye 
saw  them,  there  to  meet  Him  humbly  and  in  faith, 
who  is  "  about  their  path,  and  about  their  bed,  and 
spieth  out  all  their  ways/^  And  He,  the  Searcher  of 
hearts,  would  reward  them  openly.  Prayers  uttered  in 
secret,  according"  to  God's  will,  are  treasured  up  in 
God's  Book  of  Life.  They  seem,  perhaps,  to  have 
sought  an  answer  here,  and  to  have  failed.  Their 
memory  perishes  even  in  the  mind  of  the  petitioner,  and 
the  world  never  knew  of  them.  But  God  is  ever  mind- 
ful, and  in  the  last  day,  when  the  books  are  opened,  they 
shall  be  disclosed  and  rewarded  before  the  whole  world. 

Such  is  Christ's  gracious  promise  in  the  text,  ac- 
knowledging and  blessing,  in  His  condescension,  those 
devotional  exercises  which  were  a  duty  even  before 
Scripture  enjoined  them  ;  and  changing  into  a  privilege 
that  work  of  faith,  which,  though  bidden  by  conscience, 
and  authorized  by  reason,  yet  before  He  revealed  His 
mercy,  is  laden,  in  every  man's  case  who  attempts  it, 
with  guilt,  remorse,  and  fear.  It  is  the  Christian's 
unspeakable  privilege,  and  his  alone,  that  he  has  at 
all  times  free  access  to  the  throne  of  grace  through  the 
mediation  of  his  Lord  and  Saviour. 

But,  in  what  I  shall  now  say  concerning  prayer,  I 
shall  not  consider  it  as  a  privilege,  but  as  a  duty;  for 
till  we  have  some  experience  of  the  duties  of  religion, 
we  are  incapable  of  entering  duly  into  the  privileges; 
and  it  is  too  much  the  fashion  of  the  day  to  view  prayer 
chiefly  as  a  mere  privilege,  such  a  privilege  as  it  is  in- 
considerate indeed  to  neglect,  but  only  inconsiderate,  not 
sinful;  and  optional  to  use. 


246  Times  of  Private  Prayer. 

Now,  we  know  well  enough  that  we  are  bound  to  be 
in  one  sense  in  prayer  and  meditation  all  the  day  long. 
The  question  then  arises,  are  we  to  pray  in  any  other 
way  ?  Is  it  enough  to  keep  our  minds  fixed  upon  God 
through  the  day,  and  to  commune  with  Him  in  our 
hearts,  or  is  it  necessary,  over  and  above  this  habitual 
faith,  to  set  apart  particular  times  for  the  more 
systematic  and  earnest  exercise  of  it?  Need  we  pray 
at  certain  times  of  the  day  in  a  set  manner  ?  Public 
worship,  indeed,  from  its  very  nature,  requires  places, 
times,  and  even  set  forms.  But  private  prayer  does 
not  necessarily  require  set  times,  because  we  have  no 
one  to  consult  but  ourselves,  and  we  are  always  with 
ourselves;  nor  forms,  for  there  is  no  one  else  whose 
thoughts  are  to  keep  pace  with  ours.  Still,  though 
set  times  and  forms  of  prayer  are  not  absolutely 
necessary  in  private  prayer,  yet  they  are  highly  ex- 
pedient; or  rather,  times  are  actually  commanded  us 
by  our  Lord  in  the  text,  "Thou,  when  thou  prayest, 
enter  into  thy  closet,  and  when  thou  hast  shut  thy 
door,  pray  to  thy  "Father  which  is  in  secret ;  and  thy 
Father  which  seeth  in  secret  shall  reward  thee  openly/"" 

In  these  words  certain  times  for  private  prayer,  over 
and  above  the  secret  thought  of  God  which  must  ever  be 
ahve  in  us,  are  clearly  enjoined;  and  the  practice  of 
good  men  in  Scripture  gives  us  an  example  in  con- 
firmation of  the  command.  Even  our  Saviour  had  His 
peculiar  seasons  of  communing  with  God.  His  thoughts 
indeed  were  one  continued  sacred  service  ofiered  up  to 
His  Father;  nevertheless,  we  read  of  His  going  up  "into 
a  mountain  apart  to  pray,"  and  again,  of  His  "  continu- 


Times  of  Private  Prayer.  247 

ing  all  night  in  prayer  to  God^"  Doubtless,  you 
well  recollect  that  solitary  prayer  of  His,  before  His 
passion,  thrice  repeated,  "  that  the  cup  might  pass  from 
Him."  St.  Peter  too,  as  in  the  narrative  of  the  conversion 
of  Cornelius,  the  Eoman  centurion,  in  the  tenth  chapter 
of  the  Acts,  went  up  upon  the  house-top  to  pray  about 
the  sixth  hour ;  then  God  visited  him.  And  Nathanael 
seems  to  have  been  in  prayer  under  the  fig-tree,  at  the 
time  our  Saviour  saw  him,  and  Philip  called  him  2.  I 
might  multiply  instances  from  Scripture  of  such 
" Israelites  without  guile ; "  which  are  of  course  applicable 
to  us,  because,  though  they  were  under  a  Divine  govern- 
ment in  many  respects  different  from  the  Christian,  yet 
"personal  religion  is  the  same  at  all  times ;  "  the  just " 
in  every  dispensation  "  shall  live  by  faith,"  and  whatever 
reasons  there  were  then  for  faith  to  display  and  main- 
tain itself  by  stated  prayer,  remain  substantially  the 
same  now.  Let  two  passages  suffice.  The  Psalmist 
says,  "  Seven  times  a  day  do  I  praise  Thee,  because  of 
Thy  righteous  judgments^."  And  DanieFs  practice  is 
told  us  on  a  memorable  occasion :  "  Now  when  Daniel 
knew  that  the  writing  was  signed  (the  impious  decree, 
forbidding  prayer  to  any  but  king  Darius  for  thirty 
days),  he  went  inta  his  house,  and  his  windows  being 
open  in  his  chamber  toward  Jerusalem,  he  kneeled  upon 
his  knees  three  times  a  day,  and  prayed,  and  gave  thanks 
before  his  God,  as  he  did  aforetime  *." 

It  is  plain,  then,  besides  the  devotional  temper  in 
which  we  should  pass  the  day,  more  solemn  and  direct 

»  Matt.  xiv.  23.    Luke  vi.  12.  '  John  i.  48. 

3  Ps.  cxix,  164!.  *  Dan.  vi.  10 


248  Times  of  Private  Prayer. 

acts  of  worship,  nay,  regular  and  periodical,  are  required 
of  us  by  the  precept  of  Christ,  and  His  own  example, 
and  that  of  His  Apostles  and  Prophets  under  both 
covenants. 

Now  it  is  necessary  to  insist  upon  this  duty  of  ob- 
serving private  prayer  at  stated  times,  because  amid  the 
cares  and  hurry  of  life  men  are  very  apt  to  neglect  it : 
and  it  is  a  much  more  important  duty  than  it  is  generally 
considered,  even  by  those  who  perform  it. 

It  is  important  for  the  two  reasons  which  follow. 

1.  It  brings  religious  subjects  before   the   mind    in 
regular  course.     Prayer  through  the  day,  is  indeed  the 
characteristic  of  a  Christian  spirit,  but  we  may  be  sure 
that,  in  most  cases,  those  who  do  not  pray  at  stated 
times  in  a  more  solemn  and  direct  manner,  will  never 
pray  well  at  other  times.     We  know  in  the  common 
engagements  of  life,  the  importance  of  collecting  and 
arranging  our  thoughts  calmly  and  accurately  before  pro- 
ceeding to  any  important  business,  in  order  to  the  right 
performance  of  it;   and  so  in  that  one  really  needful 
occupation,  the  care  of  our  eternal  interests,  if  we  would 
have  our  minds  composed,  our  desires  subdued,  and  our 
tempers  heavenly  through    the   day,  we   must,   before 
commencing  the  day's  employment,  stand  still  awhile  to 
look  into  ourselves,  and  commune  with  our  hearts,  by 
way  of  preparing  ourselves  for  the  trials  and  duties  on 
which  we  are  entering.     A  like  reason  may  be  assigned 
for  evening  prayer,  viz.  as  affording  us  a  time  of  looking 
back  on  the  day  past,  and  summing  up  (as  it  were)  that 
account,  which,  if  we  do  not  reckon,  at  least  God  has 
reckoned,  and  written  down  in  that  book  which  will  be 


Times  of  Private  Prayer.  249 

produced  at  the  Judgment;  a  time  of  confessing  sin,  and 
of  praying  for  forgiveness,  of  giving  thanks  for  what 
we  have  done  well,  and  for  mercies  received,  of  making 
good  resolutions  in  reliance  on  the  help  of  God,  and  of 
sealing  up  and  setting  sure  the  day  past^  at  least  as  a 
stepping-stone  of  good  for  the  morrow.  The  precise 
times  indeed  of  private  prayer  are  no  where  commanded 
us  in  Scripture;  the  most  obvious  are  those  I  have 
mentioned^  morning  and  evening.  In  the  texts  just 
now  read  to  you,  you  heard  of  praying  three  times  a 
day,  or  seven  times.  All  this  depends  of  course  on  the 
opportunities  of  each  individual.  Some  men  have  not 
leisure  for  this  ;  but  for  morning  and  evening  prayer  all 
men  can  and  should  make  leisure. 

Stated  times  of  private  prayer,  then,  are  useful  as 
impulses  (so  to  say)  to  the  continuous  devotion  of  the 
day.  They  instruct  us  and  engage  us  in  what  is  ever 
our  duty.  It  is  commonly  said,  that  what  is  every 
one's  business  is  practically  no  one's ;  this  applies  here. 
I  repeat  it,  if  we  leave  religion  as  a  subject  of  thought 
for  all  hours  of  the  day  equally,  it  will  be  thought  of  in 
none.  In  all  things  it  is  by  small  beginnings  and 
appointed  channels  that  an  advance  is  made  to  extensive 
works.  Stated  times  of  prayer  put  us  in  that  posture 
(as  I  may  call  it)  in  which  we  ought  ever  to  be ;  they 
urge  us  forward  in  a  heavenly  direction,  and  then  the 
stream  carries  us  on.  For  the  same  reason  it  is  expe- 
dient, if  possible,  to  be  solemn  in  the  forms  of  our 
private  worship,  in  order  to  impress  our  minds.  Our 
Saviour  kneeled  down,  fell  on  His  face,  and  prayed  *, — 
'  Matt.  xxvL  89.   Luke  xxii.  41. 


250  Times  of  Private  Prayer. 

so  did  His  Apostles  ' ;  and  so  did  the  Saints  of  the  Old 
Testament.  Hence  many  persons  are  accustomed  (such 
as  have  the  opportunity)  to  set  apart  a  particular  place 
For  their  private  devotions  ;  still  for  the  same  reason,  to 
compose  their  mind, — as  Christ  tells  us  in  the  text,  to 
enter  into  our  closet. 

2.  I  now  come  to  the  second  reason  for  stated 
private  prayer.  Besides  its  tending  to  produce  in  us 
lasting  religious  impressions,  which  I  have  already 
enlarged  upon,  it  is  also  a  more  direct  means  of  gaining 
from  God  an  answer  to  our  requests.  He  has  so 
sanctioned  it  in  the  text : — "  Shut  thy  door,  and  pray 
to  thy  Father  which  seeth  in  secret,  and  He  shall 
reward  thee  openly.'^  We  do  not  know  Jiow  it  is  that 
prayer  receives  an  answer  from  God  at  all.  It  is  strange, 
indeed,  that  weak  man  should  have  strength  to  move 
God ;  but  it  is  our  privilege  to  know  that  we  can  do 
so.  The  whole  system  of  this  world  is  a  history  of 
man's  interfering  with  Divine  decrees ;  and  if  we  have 
the  melancholy  power  of  baffling  His  good-will,  to  our 
own  ruin  (an  awful,  an  incomprehensible  truth !),  if, 
when  He  designs  our  eternal  salvation,  we  can  yet 
annul  our  heavenly  election,  and  accomplish  our  eternal 
destruction,  much  more  have  we  the  power  to  move 
Him  (blessed  be  His  name !)  when  He,  the  Searcher  of 
hearts,  discerns  in  us  the  mind  of  that  Holy  Spirit, 
which  "  maketh  intercession  for  the  saints  according  to 
His  will.''  And,  as  He  has  thus  promised  an  answer  to 
our  poor  prayers,  so  it  is  not  more  strange  that  prayers 
ofiiered  up  at  particular  times,  and  in  a  particular  way, 

^    Acts  XX.  36;  xzi.  5.    Eph.  iii.  14. 


Times  of  Private  Prayer.  251 

should  have  especially  prevailing  power  with  Him.  And 
the  reason  of  it  may  be  as  follows.  It  is  faith  that  is 
the  appointed  means  of  gaining  all  blessings  from  God, 
''All  things  are  possible  to  him  that  believethi."  Now, 
at  stated  times,  when  we  gather  up  our  thoughts  to 
pray,  and  draw  out  our  petitions  in  an  orderly  and 
clear  manner,  the  act  of  faith  is  likely  to  be  stronger 
and  more  earnest;  then  we  realize  more  perfectly  the 
presence  of  that  God  whom  we  do  not  see,  and  Him  on 
whom  once  all  our  sins  were  laid,  who  bore  the  weight 
of  our  infirmities  and  sickness  once  for  all,  that  in  all 
our  troubles  we  might  seek  Him,  and  find  grace  in 
time  of  need.  Then  this  world  is  more  out  of  sight, 
and  we  more  simply  appropriate  those  blessings,  which 
we  have  but  to  claim  humbly  and  they  are  really  ours. 

Stated  times  of  prayer,  then,  are  necessary ;  first,  as 
a  means  of  making  the  mind  sober,  and  the  general 
temper  more  religious ;  secondly,  as  a  means  of  exer- 
cising earnest  faith,  and  thereby  of  receiving  a  more 
certain  blessing  in  answer,  than  we  should  otherwise 
obtain. 

Other  reasons,  doubtless,  may  be  given ;  but  these  are 
enough,  not  only  as  containing  subject  for  thought 
which  may  be  useful  to  us,  but  besides,  as  serving  to 
show  how  wise  and  merciful  those  Divine  provisions 
really  are,  which  our  vain  minds  are  so  apt  to  question. 
All  God's  commands,  indeed,  ought  to  be  received  at 
once  upon  faith,  though  we  saw  no  reason  for  them.  It 
is  no  excuse  for  a  man's  disobeying  them,  even  if  he 
thinks  he   sees  reasons  against  them ;    for  God  knows 

^  M.ark  ix.  23. 


252  Times  of  Private  Prayer. 

better  than  we  do.  But  in  great  condescension  He  has 
allowed  us  to  see  here  and  there  His  reasons  for  what 
He  does  and  enjoins  j  and  we  should  treasure  up  these 
occasional  notices  as  memorials  against  the  time  of 
temptation,  that  when  doubt  and  unbelief  assail  us,  and 
we  are  perplexed  at  His  revealed  word,  we  may  call  to 
mind  those  former  instances  in  our  own  experience, 
where  what  at  first  seemed  strange  and  hard,  on  closer 
consideration  was  found  to  have  a  wise  end. 

Now  the  duty  of  having  stated  times  of  private  prayer 
is  one  of  those  observances,  concerning  which  we  are  apt  to 
entertain  the  unbelieving  thoughts  I  have  been  describing. 
It  seems  to  us  to  be  a  form,  or  at  least  a  light  matter, 
to  observe  or  omit ;  whereas  in  truth,  such  creatures  are 
we,  there  is  the  most  close  and  remarkable  connexion 
between  small  observances  and  the  permanence  of  our 
chief  habits  and  practices.  It  is  easy  to  see  why  it  is 
irksome  ;  because  it  presses  upon  us  and  is  inconvenient. 
It  is  a  duty  which  claims  our  attention  continually,  and 
its  irksomeness  leads  our  hearts  to  rebel ;  and  then  we 
proceed  to  search  for  reasons  to  justify  our  own  dislike 
of  it.  Nothing  is  more  difficult  than  to  be  disciplined 
and  regular  in  our  religion.  It  is  very  easy  to  be  reli- 
gious by  fits  and  starts,  and  to  keep  up  our  feelings  by 
artificial  stimulants ;  but  regularity  seems  to  trammel 
us,  and  we  become  impatient.  This  is  especially  the 
case  with  those  to  whom  the  world  is  as  yet  new,  and 
who  can  do  as  they  please.  Religion  is  the  chief  sub- 
ject which  meet?  them,  which  enjoins  regularity ;  and 
they  bear  it  only  so  far  as  they  can  make  it  like  things  of 
this  world,  something  curiouSj  or  changeable,  or  exciting. 


Times  of  Private  Prayer,  253 

Satan  knows  his  advantage  here.  He  perceives  well 
enough  that  stated  private  prayer  is  the  very  emblem 
and  safeguard  of  true  devotion  to  God^  as  impressing 
on  us  and  keeping  up  in  us  a  rule  of  conduct.  He  who 
gives  up  regularity  in  prayer  has  lost  a  principal  means 
of  reminding  himself  that  spiritual  life  is  obedience  to 
a  Lawgiver,  not  a  mere  feeling  or  a  taste.  Hence  it  is 
that  so  many  persons,  especially  in  the  polished  ranks  of 
society,  who  are  out  of  the  way  of  temptation  to  gross 
vice,  fall  away  into  a  mere  luxurious  self-indulgent  devo- 
tion, which  they  take  for  religion ;  they  reject  every 
thing  which  implies  self-denial,  and  regular  prayer 
especially.  Hence  it  is  that  others  run  into  all  kinds  of 
enthusiastic  fancies;  because,  by  giving  up  set  private 
prayer  in  written  forms,  they  have  lost  the  chief  rule  of 
their  hearts.  Accordingly,  you  will  hear  them  exclaim 
against  regular  prayer  (which  is  the  very  medicine 
suited  to  their  disease)  as  a  formal  service,  and  maintain 
that  times  and  places  and  fixed  words  are  beneath  the 
attention  of  a  spiritual  Christian.  And  others,  who 
are  exposed  to  the  seductions  of  sin,  altogether  faU  away 
from  the  same  omission.  Be  sure,  my  brethren,  who- 
ever of  you  is  persuaded  to  disuse  his  morning  and 
evening  prayers,  is  giving  up  the  armour  which  is  to 
secure  him  against  the  wiles  of  the  Devil.  If  you  have 
left  ofi"  the  observance  of  them,  you  may  fall  any  day ; — 
and  you  will  fall  without  notice.  For  a  time  you  will 
go  on,  seeming  to  yourselves  to  be  the  same  as  before ; 
but  the  Israelites  might  as  well  hope  to  lay  in  a  stock 
of  manna  as  you  of  grace.  You  pray  God  for  your  daily 
bread,  your  bread  day  by  day;  and  if  you  have  not 


254  Times  of  Private  Prayer. 

prayed  for  it  this  morning,  it  will  profit  you  little  that 
you  prayed  for  it  yesterday.     You  did  then  pray  and  you 
obtained, — but  not  a  supply  for  two  days.     When  you 
have   given  over   the   practice   of  stated   prayer,   you 
gradually  become  weaker  without  knowing  it.     Samson 
did  not  know  he  had  lost  his  strength  till  the  Philistines 
came  upon  him ;  you  will  think  yourselves  the  men  you 
used  to  be,  till  suddenly  your  adversary  will  come  furi- 
ously upon  you,  and  you  will  as  suddenly  fall.     You  will 
be  able  to  make  little  or  no  resistance.     This  is  the  path 
which    leads    to    death.       Men   first   leave    off  private 
prayer ;  then   they  neglect  the  due  observance  of  the 
Lord^s  day  (which  is  a  stated  service  of  the  same  kind) ; 
then  they  gradually  let  slip  from  their  minds  the  very 
idea  of  obedience  to  a   fixed  eternal  law;    then  they 
actually  allow  themselves  in  things  which    their  con- 
science condemns ;  then  they  lose  the  direction  of  their 
conscience,  which  being  ill  used,  at  length  refuses  to 
direct  them.     And  thus,  being  left  by  their  true  inward 
guide,   they  are  obliged  to   take  another  guide,  their 
reason,  which  by  itself  knows  little  or  nothing  about 
religion ;  then,  this  their  blind  reason  forms  a  system  of 
right  or  wrong  for  them,  as  well  as  it  can,  flattering  to 
their  own  desires,   and  presumptuous    where  it  is  not 
actually  corrupt.    No  wonder  such  a  scheme  contradicts 
Scripture,  which  it  is  soon  found  to  do ;  not  that  they 
are  certain  to  perceive  this  themselves ;  they  often  do 
not  know   it,  and  think   themselves   still   believers  in 
the  Gospel,   while  they    maintain  doctrines  which  the 
Gospel  condemns.     But  sometimes  they  perceive  that 
their  system  is  contrary  to  Scripture ;  and  then,  instead 


Times  of  Private  Prayer.  255 

of  giving  it  up,  they  give  up  Scripture,  and  profess 
themselves  unbelievers.  Such  is  the  course  of  disobe- 
dience, beginning  in  (apparently)  slight  omissions,  and 
ending  in  open  unbelief;  and  all  men  who  walk  in  the 
broad  way  which  leads  to  destruction  are  but  at  different 
stages  of  it,  one  more  advanced  than  another,  but  all 
in  one  way.  And  I  have  spoken  of  it  here,  in  order  to 
remind  you  how  intimately  it  is  connected  with  the 
neglect  of  set  private  prayer ;  whereas,  he  who  is  strict 
in  the  observance  of  prayer  morning  and  evening,  pray- 
ing with  his  heart  as  well  as  his  lips,  can  hardly  go 
astray,  for  every  morning  and  evening  brings  him  a 
monitor  to  draw  him  back  and  restore  him. 

Beware  then  of  the  subtilty  of  your  Enemy,  who 
would  fain  rob  you  of  your  defence.  Do  not  yield  to 
his  bad  reasonings.  Be  on  your  guard  especially,  when 
you  get  into  novel  situations  or  circumstances  which 
interest  and  delight  you,  lest  they  throw  you  out  of 
your  regularity  in  prayer.  Any  thing  new  or  unex- 
pected is  dangerous  to  you.  Going  much  into  mixed 
society,  and  seeing  many  strange  persons,  taking  share 
in  any  pleasant  amusements,  reading  interesting  books, 
entering  into  a  new  line  of  life,  forming  some  new  ac- 
quaintance, the  sudden  prospect  of  any  worldly  advantage, 
travelling;  all  these  things  and  such  like,  innocent  as 
they  are  in  themselves,  and  capable  of  a  religious  use, 
become  means  of  temptation  if  we  are  not  on  our 
guard.  See  that  you  are  not  unsettled  by  them ;  this 
is  the  danger;  fear  becoming  unsettled.  Consider 
that  stability  of  mind  is  the  chief  of  virtues,  for 
it  is  Faith.     "Thou  wilt  keep  him  in  perfect  peace, 


256  Times  of  Private  Prayer. 

whose  mind  is  stayed  on  Thee,  because  he  trusteth 
in  Thee '  -"  this  is  the  promise.  But  "  the  wicked 
are  like  the  troubled  sea  when  it  cannot  rest,  whose 
waters  east  up  mire  and  dirt;  there  is  no  peace, 
saith  my  God,  to  the  wicked '/'  Nor  to  the  wicked 
only,  in  our  common  sense  of  the  word  "  wicked,'^ 
but  to  none  is  there  rest,  who  in  any  way  leave 
their  God,  and  rove  after  the  goods  of  this  world. 
Do  not  indulge  visions  of  earthly  good,  fix  your 
hearts  on  higher  things,  let  your  morning  and  evening 
thoughts  be  points  of  rest  for  your  mind's  eye,  and  let 
those  thoughts  be  upon  the  naiTow  way,  and  the  blessed- 
ness of  heaven,  and  the  glory  and  power  of  Christ 
your  Saviour.  Thus  will  you  be  kept  from  unseemly 
risings  and  fallings,  and  steadied  in  an  equable 
way.  Men  in  general  will  know  nothing  of  this ;  they 
witness  not  your  private  prayers,  and  they  will  confuse 
you  with  the  multitude  they  fall  in  with.  But  your 
friends  and  acquaintance  will  gain  a  light  and  a  comfort 
from  your  example ;  they  will  see  your  good  works,  and 
be  led  to  trace  them  to  their  true  secret  source,  the 
influences  of  the  Holy  Ghost  sought  and  obtained  by 
prayer.  Thus  they  will  glorify  your  heavenly  Father, 
and  in  imitation  of  you  will  seek  Him ;  and  He  who 
seeth  in  secret,  shall  at  length  reward  you  openly. 

1  Isa.  xxvi.  3.  2  Isa.  Ivii.  20,  21, 


SERMON  XX. 

"  Lord,  teach  us  to  pray,  as  John  also  taught  his  disciples." — Luke  xi.  i 

'T^HESE  words  express  the  natural  feelings  of  the 
-^  awakened  mind,  perceiving-  its  great  need  of  God's 
help,  yet  not  understanding  well  what  its  particular 
wants  are,  or  how  they  are  to  be  relieved.  The  disciples 
of  John  the  Baptist,  and  the  disciples  of  Christ,  waited 
on  their  respective  Masters  for  instruction  how  to  pray. 
It  was  in  vain  that  the  duty  of  repentance  was  preached 
to  the  one,  and  of  faith  to  the  other ;  in  vain  that  God's 
mercies  and  His  judgments  were  set  before  them,  and 
their  own  duties ;  they  seemed  to  have  all  that  was  neces- 
sary for  making  prayers  for  themselves,  yet  they  could 
not;  their  hearts  were  full,  but  they  remained  dumb; 
they  could  offer  no  petition  except  to  he  taught  to  pray ; 
they  knew  the  Truth,  but  they  could  not  use  it.  So 
different  a  thing  is  it  to  be  instructed  in  religion,  and 
to  have  so  mastered  it  in  practice  that  it  is  altogether 
our  own. 

Their  need  has  been  the  need  of  Christians  ever  smce. 

[I]  6 


258  Forms  of  Private  Prayer. 

All  of  us  in  childhood,  and  most  men  ever  after,  require 
direction  how  to  pray ;  and  hence  the  use  of  Forms  of 
prayer,  which  have  always  obtained  in  the  Church. 
John  taught  his  disciples ;  Christ  gave  the  Apostles  the 
prayer  which  is  distinguished  by  the  name  of  the  Lord's 
Prayer ;  and  after  He  had  ascended  on  high,  the  Holy 
Spirit  has  given  us  excellent  services  of  devotion  by  the 
mouth  of  those  blessed  Saints,  whom  from  time  to  time 
He  has  raised  up  to  be  overseers  in  the  Church.  In  the 
words  of  St.  Paul,  "  We  know  not  what  we  should  pray 
for  as  we  ought  ^;^^  but  ^^the  Spirit  helpeth  our  in- 
firmities ',"  and  that,  not  only  by  guiding  our  thoughts, 
but  by  directing  our  words. 

This,  I  say,  is  the  origin  of  Forms  of  prayer,  of  which 
I  mean  to  speak  to-day ;  viz.  these  two  imdeniable 
truths,  first,  that  all  men  have  the  same  spiritual  wants, 
and,  secondly,  that  they  cannot  of  themselves  express 
them. 

Now  it  has  so  happened,  that  in  these  latter  times 
self-wise  reasoners  have  arisen  who  have  questioned  the 
use  of  Forms  of  prayer,  and  have  thought  it  better  to 
pray  out  of  their  own  thoughts  at  random,  using  words 
which  come  into  their  minds  at  the  time  they  pray.  It 
may  be  right,  then,  that  we  should  have  some  reason  at 
hand  for  our  use  of  those  Forms,  which  we  have  adopted 
because  they  were  handed  down  to  us.  Not,  as  if  it 
were  not  quite  a  sufficient  reason  for  using  them,  that 
we  have  received  them,  and  (in  St.  Paul's  words)  that 
"  neither  we  nor  the  Churches  of  God  have  known  any 

'  Bom.  viii.  26. 


Forms  of  Private  Prayer.  259 

other  custom \"  and  that  the  best  of  Christians  have 
ever  used  them ;  for  this  is  an  abundantly  satisfactory 
reason  ; — nor  again,  as* if  we  could  hope  by  reasons  ever 
so  good,  to  persuade  those  who  inquire  of  us,  which 
most  likely  we  shall  not  be  able  to  do;  for  a  man  is 
far  gone  in  extravagance  who  deliberately  denies  the  use 
of  Forms,  and  is  likely  to  find  our  reasons  as  difficult  to 
receive  as  the  practice  we  are  defending; — so  that  we 
can  only  say  of  such  men,  after  St.  Paul's  manner,  "  if 
any  man  be  ignorant,  let  him  be  ignorant,''  there  is  no 
help  for  it.  But  it  may  be  useful  to  show  you  Tiow 
reasonable  the  practice  is,  in  order  that  you  yourselves 
may  turn  it  to  better  account ;  for  when  we  know  why 
we  do  a  thing,  we  are  likely  (the  same  circumstances 
being  supposed)  to  do  it  more  comfortably  than  when 
we  obey  ignorantly. 

Now,  I  suppose  no  one  is  in  any  difficulty  about  the 
use  of  Forms  of  prayer  in  public  worship ;  for  common 
sense  almost  will  tell  us,  that  when  many  are  to  pray 
together  as  one  man,  if  their  thoughts  are  to  go  together, 
they  must  agree  beforehand  what  is  to  be  the  subject  of 
their  prayers,  nay,  what  the  words  of  their  prayers,  if 
there  is  to  be  any  certainty,  composure,  ease,  and  regu- 
larity, in  their  united  devotions.  To  be  present  at 
extempore  prayer,  is  to  hear  prayers.  Nay,  it  might 
happen,  or  rather  often  would  happen,  that  we  did  not 
understand  what  was  said ;  and  then  the  person  praying 
is  scarcely  praying  "  in  a  tongue  understanded  of  the 
people"  (as  our  Article  expresses  it);  he  is  rather  inter- 

»  1  Cor.  xi.  16. 
o    Q 


26o  Forms  of  Private  Prayer. 

ceding  for  the  people,  than  praying  with  them,  and 
leading  their  worship.  In  the  case,  then,  of  public 
prayer  the  need  of  Forms  is  evident ;  hut  it  is  not  at  first 
sight  so  obvious  that  in  private  prayer  also  we  need  use 
written  Forms,  instead  of  praying  extempore  (as  it  is 
called)  ;  so  I  proceed  to  show  the  use  of  them. 

1.  Let  us  bear  in  mind  the  precept  of  the  wise  man. 
"  Be  not  rash  with  thy  mouth,  and  let  not  thine  heart 
be  hasty  to  utter  any  thing  before  God ;  for  God  is  in 
heaven,  and  thou  upon  earth;  therefore  let  thy  words 
be  few\"  Prayers  framed  at  the  moment  are  likely  to 
become  irreverent.  Let  us  consider  for  a  few  moments 
before  we  pray,  into  whose  presence  we  are  entering, — 
the  presence  of  God.  What  need  have  we  of  humble, 
sober,  and  subdued  thoughts  !  as  becomes  creatures, 
sustained  hourly  by  His  bounty ; — as  becomes  lost 
sinners  who  have  no  right  to  speak  at  all,  but  must 
submit  in  silence  to  Him  who  is  holy ; — and  still  more, 
as  grateful  servants  of  Him  who  bought  us  from  ruin 
at  the  price  of  His  own  blood ;  meekly  sitting  at  His 
feet  like  Mary  to  learn  and  to  do  His  will,  and  like  the 
penitent  at  the  great  man's  feast,  quietly  adoring  Him, 
and  doing  Him  service  without  disturbance,  washing 
His  feet  (as  it  were)  with  our  tears,  and  anointing  them 
with  precious  ointment,  as  having  sinned  much  and 
needing  a  large  forgiveness.  Therefore,  to  avoid  the 
irreverence  of  many  or  unfit  words  and  rude  half- 
religious  thoughts,  it  is  necessary  to  pray  from  book  or 
memory,  and  not  at  random. 

^  Ecclefl.  V.  2. 


Forms  of  Private  Prayer.  261 

Tt  may  be  objected,  tbat  this  reason  for  using  Forms 
proves  too  much ;  viz.  that  it  would  be  wrong  ever  to 
do  without  them ;  which  is  an  over-rigorous  bond  upon 
Christian  liberty.  But  I  reply,  that  reverence  in  our 
prayers  will  be  suflBciently  secured,  if  at  our  stated 
seasons  for  prayer  we  make  use  of  Forms.  For  thus 
a  tone  and  character  will  be  imparted  to  our  devotion 
throughout  the  day;  nay,  even  the  very  petitions  and 
ejaculations  will  be  supplied,  which  we  need.  And 
much  more  will  our  souls  be  influenced  by  the  power 
of  them,  at  the  very  time  we  are  using  them ;  so  that, 
should  the  occasion  require,  we  shall  find  ourselves  able 
to  go  forward  naturally  and  soberly  into  such  additional 
supplications,  as  are  of  too  particular  or  private  a  nature, 
to  admit  of  being  written  down  in  set  words. 

2.  In  the  next  place.  Forms  of  prayer  are  necessary  to 
guard  us  against  the  irreverence  of  wandering  thoughts. 
If  we  pray  without  set  words  (read  or  remembered),  our 
minds  will  stray  from  the  subject ;  other  thoughts  will 
cross  us,  and  we  shall  pursue  them ;  we  shall  lose  sight 
of  His  presence  whom  we  are  addressing.  This  wan- 
dering of  mind  is  in  good  measure  prevented,  under 
God's  blessing,  by  Forms  of  prayer.  Thus  a  chief  use 
of  them  is  that  oi fixing  the  attention. 

3.  Next,  they  are  useful  in  securing  us  from  the 
irreverence  of  excited  thoughts.  And  here  there  is  room 
for  saying  much;  for,  it  so  happens.  Forms  of  prayer 
are  censured  for  the  very  circumstance  about  them  which 
is  their  excellence.  They  are  accused  of  impeding  the 
current  of  devotion,  when,  in  fact,  that  (so  called)  current 
is  in  itself  faulty,  and  ought  to  be  checked.     And  those 


262  Forms  of  Private  Prayer. 

persons  (as  might  be  expected)  are  most  eager  in  their 
opposition  to  them,  who  require  more  than  others  the 
restraint  of  them.  They  sometimes  throw  their  objection 
into  the  following  form,  which  it  may  be  worth  while  to 
consider.  They  say,  "  If  a  man  is  in  earnest,  he  will 
soon  find  words ;  there  is  no  need  of  a  set  Form  of 
prayer.  And  if  he  is  not  in  earnest,  a  Form  can  do  him 
no  good."  Now  that  a  man  who  is  in  earnest  will  soon 
find  words,  is  true  or  not  true,  according  to  what  is 
meant  by  being  in  earnest.  It  is  true  that  at  certain 
times  of  strong  emotion,  grief  or  joy,  remorse  or  fear, 
our  religious  feelings  outrun  and  leave  behind  them  any 
Form  of  words.  In  such  cases,  not  only  is  there  no  need 
of  Forms  of  prayer,  but  it  is  perhaps  impossible  to  write 
Forms  of  prayer  for  Christians  agitated  by  such  feel- 
ings. For  each  man  feels  in  his  own  way, — perhaps  no  two 
men  exactly  alike ; — and  we  can  no  more  write  down  Jiow 
men  ought  to  pray  at  such  times,  than  we  can  give  rules 
how  they  should  weep  or  be  merry.  The  better  men 
they  are,  of  course  the  better  they  will  pray  in  such  a 
trying  time ;  but  you  cannot  make  them  better ;  they 
must  be  left  to  themselves.  And,  though  good  men  have 
before  now  set  down  in  writing  Forms  of  prayer  for  per- 
sons so  circumstanced,  these  were  doubtless  meant  rather 
as  patterns  and  helps,  or  as  admonitions  and  (if  so  be) 
quietings  of  the  agitated  mind,  than  as  prayers  which  it 
was  expected  would  be  used  literally  and  entirely  in  their 
detail.  As  a  general  rule.  Forms  of  prayer  should  not 
be  written  in  strong  and  impassioned  language ;  but 
should  be  calm,  composed,  and  short.  Our  Saviour's 
own  prayer  is  our  model  in  this  respect.     How  few  are 


Forms  of  Private  Prayer.  263 

its  petitions  !  how  soberly  expressed  !  how  reverently  ! 
and  at  the  same  time  how  deep  are  they^  and  how  com- 
prehensive ! — I  readily  grant,  then,  that  there  are  times 
when  the  heart  outruns  any  written  words ;  as  the  jailor 
cried  out,  "  What  shall  I  do  to  be  saved  ?  "  Nay,  rather 
I  would  maintain  that  set  words  should  not  attempt  to 
imitate  the  impetuous  workings  to  which  all  minds  are 
subject  at  times  in  this  world  of  change  (and  there- 
fore religious  minds  in  the  number),  lest  one  should 
seem  to  encourage  them. 

Still  the  question  is  not  at  all  settled ;  granting  there 
are  times  when  a  thankful  or  a  wounded  heart  bursts 
through  all  Forms  of  prayer,  yet  these  are  not  frequent. 
To  be  excited  is  not  the  ordinary  state  of  the  mind,  but 
the  extraordinary,  the  now  and  then  state.  Nay,  more 
than  this,  it  ought  not  to  be  the  common  state  of  the 
mind ;  and  if  we  are  encouraging  within  us  this  excite- 
ment, this  unceasing  rush  and  alternation  of  feelings, 
and  think  that  this,  and '  this  only,  is  being  in  earnest 
in  religion,  we  are  harming  our  minds,  and  (in  one 
sense)  I  may  even  say  grieving  the  peaceful  Spirit  of 
God,  who  would  silently  and  tranquilly  work  His 
Divine  work  in  our  hearts.  This,  then,  is  an  especial 
use  of  Forms  of  prayer,  when  we  are  in  earnest,  as  we 
ought  always  to  be ;  viz.  to  keep  us  from  self-willed 
earnestness,  to  still  emotion,  to  calm  us,  to  remind  us 
what  and  where  we  are,  to  lead  us  to  a  purer  and  serenei 
temper,  and  to  that  deep  unruffled  love  of  God  and  man, 
which  is  really  the  fulfilling  of  the  law,  and  the  perfec- 
tion of  human  nature. 

Then,  again,  as  to  the  usefulness  of  Forms,  if  we  arf 


264  Forms  of  Private  Prayer. 

not  in  earnest^ — this  also  is  true  or  not,  as  we  may  take 
it.  For  there  are  degrees  of  earnestness.  Let  us 
recollect,  the  power  of  praying,  heing  a  habit,  must  be 
acquired,  like  all  other  habits,  by  practice.  In  order  at 
length  to  pray  well,  we  must  begin  by  praying  ill,  since 
ill  is  all  we  can  do.  Is  net  this  plain  ?  Who,  in  the 
case  of  any  other  work,  would  wait  till  he  could  do  it 
perfectly,  before  he  tried  it  ?  The  idea  is  absurd.  Yet 
those  who  object  to  Forms  of  prayer  on  the  ground  just 
mentioned,  fall  into  this  strange  error.  If,  indeed,  we 
could  pray  and  praise  God  like  the  Angels,  we  might 
have  no  need  of  Forms  of  prayer ;  but  Forms  are  to 
teach  those  who  pray  poorly  to  praj  better.  They  are 
helps  to  our  devotion,  as  teaching  us  what  to  pray  for 
and  how,  as  St.  John  and  our  Lord  taught  their  dis- 
ciples ;  and,  doubtless,  even  the  best  of  us  prays  hut 
poorly,  and  needs  the  help  of  them.  However,  the  per- 
sons I  speak  of,  think  that  prayer  is  nothing  else  but 
the  bursting  forth  of  strong  feeling,  not  the  action  of  a 
habit,  but  an  emotion,  and,  therefore,  of  course  to  such 
men  the  very  notion  of  learning  to  pray  seems  absurd. 
But  this  indulgence  of  emotion  is  in  truth  founded  on  a 
mistake,  as  I  have  already  said. 

4.  Further,  Forms  are  useful  to  help  our  memory,  and 
to  set  before  us  at  once,  completely,  and  in  order,  what 
we  have  to  pray  for.  It  does  not  follow,  that  when  the 
heart  is  really  full  of  the  thought  of  God,  and  alive  to 
the  reality  of  things  unseen,  then  it  is  easiest  to  pray. 
Rather,  the  deeper  insight  we  have  into  His  Majesty 
and  our  innumerable  wants,  the  less  we  shall  be  able  to 
draw  out  our  thoughts  into  words.     The  publican  could 


Forms  of  Private  Prayer.  265 

only  say,  "  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner ;"  this  was 
enough  for  his  acceptance ;  but  to  offer  such  a  scanty 
service  was  not  to  exercise  the  gift  of  prayer^  the  privi- 
lege of  a  ransomed  and  exalted  son  of  God.  He  whom 
Christ  has  illuminated  with  His  grace,  is  heir  of  all 
things.  He  has  an  interest  in  the  world^s  multitude  of 
matters.  He  has  a  boundless  sphere  of  duties  within 
and  without  him.  He  has  a  glorious  prospect  before 
him.  The  saints  shall  hereafter  judge  the  world;  and 
shall  they  not  here  take  cognizance  of  its  doings  ?  are 
they  not  in  one  sense  counsellors  and  confidential 
servants  of  their  Lord,  intercessors  at  the  throne  of 
grace,  the  secret  agents  by  and  for  whom  He  guides 
His  high  Providence,  and  carries  on  the  nations  to  their 
doom  ?  And  in  their  own  persons  is  forgiveness  merely 
and  acceptance  (extreme  blessings  as  these  are)  the 
scope  of  their  desires  ?  else  might  they  be  content  with 
the  publican's  prayer.  Are  they  not  rather  bidden  to  go 
on  to  perfection,  to  use  the  spirit  given  them,  to  enlarge 
and  purify  their  own  hearts,  and  to  draw  out  the  nature 
of  man  into  the  fulness  of  its  capabilities  after  the  image 
of  the  Son  of  God  ?  And  for  the  thought  of  all  these 
objects  at  once,  who  is  sufficient  ?  Whose  mind  is  not 
overpowered  by  the  view  of  its  own  immense  privilege, 
so  as  eagerly  to  seek  for  words  of  prayer  and  intercession, 
carefully  composed  according  to  the  number  and  the 
nature  of  the  various  petitions  it  has  to  offer  ?  so  that  he 
who  prays  without  plan,  is  in  fact  losing  a  great  part 
of  the  privilege  with  which  his  Baptism  has  gifted  him. 
5.  And  further,  the  use  of  a  Form  as  a  help  to  the 
memory  is  still  more  obvious,  when  we  take  into  account 


266  For^ns  of  Private  Prayer. 

the  engagements  of  this  world  with  which  most  men 
are  surrounded.  The  cares  and  businesses  of  life  press 
upon  us  with  a  reality  which  we  cannot  overlook.  Shall 
we  trust  the  matters  of  the  next  world  to  the  chance 
thoughts  of  our  own  minds,  which  come  this  moment^ 
and  go  the  next,  and  may  not  be  at  hand  when  the 
time  of  employing  them  arrives,  like  unreal  visions, 
having  no  substance  and  no  permanence  ?  This  world  is 
Satan's  efficacious  Form,  it  is  the  instrument  through 
which  he  spreads  out  in  order  and  attractiveness  his 
many  snares;  and  these  doubtless  will  engross  us, 
unless  we  also  give  Form  to  the  spiritual  objects  towards 
which  we  pray  and  labour.  How  short  are  the  seasons 
which  most  men  have  to  give  to  prayer  ?  Before  they 
can  collect  their  memories  and  minds,  their  leisure  is 
almost  over,  even  if  they  have  the  power  to  dismiss  the 
thoughts  of  this  world,  which  just  before  engaged  them. 
Now  Forms  of  prayer  do  this /or  them.  They  keep  the 
ground  occupied,  that  Satan  ma}-  not  encroach  upon  the 
seasons  of  devotion.  They  are  a  standing  memorial,  to 
which  we  can  recur  as  to  a  temple  of  God,  finding  every 
thing  in  order  for  our  worship  as  soon  as  we  go  into  it, 
though  the  time  allotted  us  at  morning  and  evening  be 
ever  so  circumscribed. 

6.  And  this  use  of  Forms  in  prayer  becomes  great- 
beyond  power  of  estimating,  in  the  case  of  those  multi- 
tudes of  men,  who,  after  going  on  well  for  a  while,  fal. 
into  sin.  If  even  conscientious  men  require  continual 
aids  to  be  reminded  of  the  next  world,  how  extreme  is 
the  need  of  those  who  try  to  forget  it !  It  cannot  be 
denied,  fearful  as  it  is  to  reflect  upon  it,  that  far  the 


Forms  of  Private  Prayer.  267 

greater  number  of  those  who  come  to  manhood^  for  a 
while  (at  least)  desert  the  God  who  has  redeemed  them ; 
and,  then,  if  in  their  earlier  years  they  have  learned  and 
used  no  prayers  or  psalms  by  which  to  worship  Him, 
what  is  to  keep  them  from  blotting-  altogether  from 
their  minds  the  thought  of  religion?  But  here  it  is 
that  the  Forms  of  the  Church  have  ever  served  her 
children,  both  to  restrain  them  in  their  career  of  sin, 
and  to  supply  them  with  ready  utterance  on  their 
repentance.  Chance  words  and  phrases  of  her  services 
adhere  to  their  memories,  rising  up  in  moments  of 
temptation  or  of  trouble,  to  check  or  to  recover  them. 
And  hence  it  happens,  that  in  the  most  irreligious  com- 
panies a  distinction  is  said  to  be  observable  between 
those  who  have  had  the  opportunity  of  using  our  public 
Forms  in  their  youth,  and  those  whose  religious  im- 
pressions have  not  been  thus  happily  fortified ;  so  that, 
amid  their  most  reckless  mirth,  and  most  daring  pretence 
of  profligacy,  a  sort  of  secret  reverence  has  attended  the 
wanderers,  restraining  them  from  that  impiety  and 
profaneness  in  which  the  others  have  tried  to  conceal 
from  themselves  the  guilt  and  peril  of  their  doings. 

And  again  on  their  repentance  (should .  they  be 
favoured  with  so  high  a  grace),  what  friends  do  they 
seem  to  find  amid  their  gloom  in  the  words  they  learned 
in  their  boyhood, — a  kindly  voice,  aiding  them  to  say 
what  they  otherwise  would  not  know  how  to  say,  guiding 
and  composing  their  minds  upon  those  objects  of  faith 
which  they  ought  to  look  to,  but  cannot  find  of  them- 
selves, and  so  (as  it  were)  interceding  for  them  with  the 
power  of  the  blessed  Spirit,  while  nature  can  but  groan 


268  For 7ns  of  Private  Prayer. 

and  travail  in  pain  !  Sinners  as  they  are  by  theii  own 
voluntary  misdeeds,  and  with  a  prospect  of  punishment 
before  them,  enlightened  by  but  few  and  faint  gleams 
of  hope,  what  shall  keep  them  from  feverish  restlessness, 
and  all  the  extravagance  of  fear,  what  shall  soothe  them 
into  a  fixed,  resigned  waiting  for  their  Judge,  and  such 
lowly  eflbrts  to  obey  Him,  however  poorly,  as  become  a 
penitent,  but  those  words,  long  buried  in  their  minds, 
and  now  rising  again  as  if  with  the  life  of  their  un- 
corrupted  boyhood  ?  It  requires  no  great  experience  of 
sick  beds  to  verify  the  truth  of  this  statement.  Blessed, 
indeed,  is  the  power  of  those  formularies,  which  thus 
succeed  in  throwing  a  sinner  for  a  while  out  of  himself, 
and  in  bringing  before  him  the  scenes  of  his  youth,  his 
guardian  friends  now  long  departed,  their  ways  and 
their  teaching,  their  pious  services,  and  their  peaceful 
end;  and  though  all  this  is  an  excitement,  and  lasts 
but  for  a  season,  yet,  if  improved  by  him,  it  may  be  con- 
verted into  an  habitual  contemplation  of  persons  and 
deeds  which  now  live  to  God,  though  removed  hence, — if 
improved  by  his  acting  upon  it,  it  will  become  an  abiding 
motive  to  seek  the  world  to  come,  an  abiding  persuasion, 
winning  him  from  the  works  of  darkness,  and  raising 
him  to  the  humble  hope  of  future  acceptance  with  his 
Saviour  and  Judge. 

7.  Such  is  the  force  of  association  in  undoing  the 
evil  of  past  years,  and  recalling  us  to  the  innocence  of 
children.  Nor  is  this  all  we  may  gain  from  the  prayers 
we  use,  nor  are  penitent  sinners  the  only  persons  who 
can  profit  by  it.  Let  us  recollect  for  how  long  a  period 
our  prayers  have  been  the  standard  Forms  of  devotion 


Forms  of  Private  Prayer.  269 

in  the  Church  of  Christy  and  we  shall  gain  a  fresh 
reason  for  loving  them^  and  a  fresh  source  of  comfort  in 
using  them.  I  know  different  persons  will  feel  dif- 
ferently here,  according  to  their  different  turn  of  mind; 
yet  surely  there  are  few  of  us,  if  we  dwelt  on  the 
thought,  but  would  feel  it  a  privilege  to  use,  as  we 
do  (for  instance,  in  the  Lord's  Prayer),  the  very  pe- 
titions which  Christ  spoke.  He  gave  the  prayer  and 
used  it.  His  Apostles  used  it;  all  the  Saints  ever 
since  have  used  it.  When  we  use  it  we  seem  to  join 
company  with  them.  Who  does  not  think  himself 
brought  nearer  to  any  celebrated  man  in  history,  by 
seeing  his  house,  or  his  furniture,  or  his  handwriting, 
or  the  very  books  that  were  his  ?  Thus  does  the  Lord^s 
Prayer  bring  us  near  to  Christ,  and  to  His  disciples 
in  every  age.  No  wonder,  then,  that  in  past  times 
good  men  thought  this  Form  of  prayer  so  sacred,  that 
it  seemed  to  them  impossible  to  say  it  too  often,  as 
if  some  especial  grace  went  with  the  use  of  it.  Nor 
can  we  use  it  too  often ;  it  contains  in  itself  a  sort  of 
plea  for  Christ's  listening  to  us  ;  we  cannot,  so  that  we 
keep  our  thoughts  fixed  on  its  petitions,  and  use  our 
minds  as  well  as  our  lips  when  we  repeat  it.  And  what 
is  true  of  the  Lord's  Prayer,  is  in  its  measure  true  of 
most  of  those  prayers  which  our  Church  teaches  us  to 
use.  It  is  true  of  the  Psalms  also,  and  of  the  Creeds ; 
all  of  which  have  become  sacred,  from  the  memory  of 
saints  departed  who  have  used  them,  and  whom  we  hope 
one  day  to  meet  in  heaven. 

One  caution  I  give  in  conclusion  as  to  using  these 
thoughts.     Beware  lest  your  religion  be  one  of  sentiment 


270  Forms  of  Private  Prayer. 

merely,  not  of  practice.  Men  may  speak  in  a  high  ima- 
ginative way  of  the  ancient  Saints  and  the  Holy  Apos- 
tolic Church,  without  making  the  fervour  or  refinement 
of  their  devotion  bear  upon  their  conduct.  Many  a  man 
likes  to  be  religious  in  graceful  language ;  he  loves  re- 
ligious tales  and  hymns,  yet  is  never  the  better  Cliristian 
for  all  this.  The  works  of  every  day,  these  are  the  tests 
of  our  glorious  contemplations,  whether  or  not  they 
shall  be  available  to  our  salvation ;  and  he  who  does  one 
deed  of  obedience  for  Christ's  sake,  let  him  have  no 
imagination  and  no  fine  feeling,  is  a  better  man,  and 
returns  to  his  home  justified  rather  than  the  most  elo- 
u[uent  speaker,  and  the  most  sensitive  hearer,  of  the  glory 
of  the  Gospel,  if  such  men  do  not  practise  up  to  their 
knowledge. 


SERMON  XXI, 
W^z  Ee0uccection  of  t^e  Bon?* 

' '  Nffw  that  the  dead  are  raised,  even  Aloses  showed  at  the  bush,  when  he 
calleth  the  Lord  the  God  of  Abraham,  and  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the 
God  of  Jacob.  For  He  is  not  a  God  of  the  dead,  but  of  the  living ; 
for  all  live  unto  Him."— I.VK^  xx.  37,  38. 

THESE  words  of  our  Saviour  show  us  how  much  more 
there  is  in  Scripture  than  at  first  sight  appears. 
God  spoke  to  Moses  in  the  burning  bush,  and  called  Him- 
self the  "  God  of  Abraham ;"  and  Christ  tells  us,  that 
in  this  simple  announcement  was  contained  the  promise 
that  Abraham  should  rise  again  from  the  dead.  In  truth, 
if  we  may  say  it  \\dth  reverence,  the  All-wise,  All-know- 
ing God  cannot  speak  without  meaning  many  things  at 
once.  He  sees  the  end  from  the  beginning ;  He  under- 
stands the  numberless  connexions  and  relations  of  aU 
things  one  with  another.  Every  word  of  His  is  fall  of 
instruction,  looking  many  ways;  and  though  it  is  not  often 
given  to  us  to  know  these  various  senses,  and  we  are  not 
at  liberty  to  attempt  lightly  to  imagine  them,  yet,  as 
far  as  they  are  told  us,  and  as  far  as  wo  may  reasonably 


272  TJie  Restirrection  of  the  Body. 

infer  tliem,  we  must  thankfully  accept  them.  Look  at 
Christ's  words,  and  this  same  character  of  them  will  strike 
you ;  whatever  He  says  is  fruitful  in  meaning',  and  refers 
to  many  things.  It  is  well  to  keep  this  in  mind  when 
we  read  Scripture ;  for  it  may  hinder  us  from  self-con- 
ceit, from  studying  it  in  an  arrogant  critical  temper, 
and  from  giving  over  reading  it,  as  if  we  had  got  from  it 
all  that  can  he  learned. 

Now  let  us  consider  in  what  sense  the  text  contains  a 
promise  of  a  resurrection,  and  see  what  instruction  may 
be  gained  from  knowing  it. 

When  God  called  Himself  the  God  of  Abraham, 
Isaac,  and  Jacob,  He  implied  that  those  holy  patriarchs 
were  still  alive,  though  they  were  no  more  seen  on  earth. 
This  may  seem  evident  at  first  sight ;  but  it  may  be 
asked,  how  the  text  proves  that  their  bodies  would  live ; 
for,  if  their  souls  were  still  living,  that  would  be  enough 
to  account  for  their  being  still  called  in  the  Book  of 
Exodus  servants  of  God.  This  is  the  point  to  be  con- 
sidered. Our  Blessed  Lord  seems  to  tell  us,  that  in 
some  sense  or  other  Abraham^'s  body  might  be  con- 
sidered still  alive  as  a  pledge  of  his  resurrection,  though 
it  was  dead  in  the  common  sense  in  which  we  apply  the 
word.  His  announcement  is,  Abraham  shall  rise  from 
the  dead,  because  in  truth,  he  is  still  alive.  He  cannot 
in  the  end  be  held  under  the  power  of  the  grave,  more 
than  a  sleeping  man  can  be  kept  from  waking.  Abraham 
is  stm  alive  in  the  dust,  though  not  risen  thence.  He 
is  alive  because  all  God's  saints  live  to  Him,  though 
they  seem  to  perish. 

It  may  seem  a  paradox  to  say,  that  our  bodies,  even 


■^jt^ 


The  Resurrection  of  the  Body.  273 

when  dead,  are  still  alive ;  but  since  our  Lord  seems  to 
countenance  us   in  saying  so,  I  will  say  it,  though  a 
strange  saying,  because  it  has  an  instructive  meaning. 
We  are  apt  to  talk  about  our  bodies  as  if  we  knew  how 
or  what  they  really  were ;  whereas  we  only  know  what 
our  eyes  tell  us.     They  seem  to  grow,  to  come  to  ma- 
turity, to  decay ;  but  after  all  we  know  no  more  about 
them  than  meets    our  senses,   and  there  is,  doubtless, 
much  which  God  sees  in  our  material  frames,  which  we 
cannot  see.     We  have  no  direct  cognizance  of  what  may 
be  called  the  substantive  existence  of  the  body,  only  of 
its  accidents.     Again,  we  are  apt  to  speak  of  soul  and 
hody,  as  if  we  could  distinguish  between  them,  and  knew 
much  about  them ;  but  for  the  most  part  we  use  words 
without   meaning.     It   is    useful    indeed    to    make  the 
distinction,  and  Scripture  makes  it ;  but  after  all,  the 
Gospel  speaks  of  our  nature,  in  a  religious  sense,  as  one. 
Soul  and  body  make  up   one  man,  which  is  born  once, 
and  never  dies.     Philosophers  of  old  time  thought  the 
soul    indeed   might   live    for  ever,  but  that  the    body 
perished  at  death ;  but  Christ  tells  us  otherwise.   He 
tells  us  the  body  will  live  for  ever.     In  the  text  He 
seems  to  intimate  that  it  never  really  dies ;  that  we  lose 
sight  indeed  of  what  we  are  accustomed  to  see,  but  that 
God  still  sees  the  elements  of  it  which  are  not  exposed 
to  our  senses. 

God  graciously  called  Himself  the  God  of  Abraham. 
He  did  not  say  the  God  of  Abraham-'s  soul,  but  simply 
of  Abraham.  He  blest  Abraham,  and  He  gave  him 
eternal  life ;  not  to  his  soul  only  without  his  body,  but 
to  Abraham  as  one  man.     And  so  He  is  our  God,  and  it 

[I]  T 


2  74  '^^^^  Resurrection  of  the  Body, 

is  not  given  us  to  distinguish  between  what  He  does  for 
our  different  natures,  spiritual  and  material.  These  are 
mere  words ;  each  of  us  may  feel  himself  to  be  one,  and 
that  one  being,  in  all  its  substantial  parts,  and  attri- 
butes, will  never  die. 

You  will  see  this  more  clearly  by  considering  what 
our  Saviour  says  about  the  blessed  Sacrament  of  His 
Supper.  He  says  He  will  give  us  His  flesh  to  eat '. 
How  is  this  done  ?  we  do  not  know.  He  gives  it  under 
the  outward  symbols  of  bread  and  wine.  But  in  what 
real  sense  is  the  consecrated  bread  His  body  ?  It  is  not 
told  us,  we  may  not  inquire.  We  say  indeed  spiritually^ 
mcramentally ,  in  a  heavenly  way  ;  but  this  is  in  order  to 
impress  on  our  minds  religious,  and  not  carnal  notions 
of  it.  All  we  are  concerned  to  know  is,  the  effect  upon 
us  of  partaking  this  blessed  food.  Now  observe  what 
He  tells  us  about  that.  "  Except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of 
the  Son  of  man  and  drink  His  blood,  ye  have  no  life  in 
you.  Whoso  eateth  My  flesh,  and  drinketh  My  blood, 
hath  eternal  life,  and  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last 
day^."  Now  there  is  no  distinction  made  here  between 
soul  and  body.  Christ's  blessed  Supper  is  food  to  us 
altogether,  whatever  we  are,  soul,  body,  and  all.  It  is 
the  seed  of  eternal  life  within  us,  the  food  of  immor- 
tality, to  "  preserve  our  body  and  soul  unto  everlasting 
life^.'^     The    forbidden  frviit   wrought  in    Adam   imto 

1  John  vi,  51.  »  John  vi.  53,  54. 

'  "  In  the  Supper  of  the  Lord  there  is  no  vain  ceremony,  no  bare^sign, 
no  untrue  figure  of  a  thing  absent ;  but  as  the  Scripture  says,  .  .  . 
the  communion  of  the  Body  and  Blood  of  the  Lord,  in  a  marvellous 
incorporation,  which  by  the  operation  of  the  Holy  Ghost     ...    is 


The  Resurrection  of  the  Body.  275 

death;  but  this  is  the  fruit  which  makes  us  live  for  ever. 
Bread  sustains  us  in  this  temporal  life ;  the  consecrated 
bread  is  the  means  of  eternal  strength  for  soul  and  body. 
Who  could  live  this  visible  life  without  earthly  food  ? 
And  in  the  same  general  way  the  Supper  of  the  Lord 
is  the  '^means''  of  our  living  for  ever.  We  have  no 
reason  for  thinking  we  shall  live  for  ever  unless  we  eat 
it,  no  more  than  we  have  reason  to  think  our  temporal 
life  will  be  sustained  without  meat  and  drink.  God 
can,  indeed,  sustain  us,  "not  by  bread  alone /^  but 
this  is  His  ordinary  means,  which  His  will  has  made 
such.  He  can  sustain  our  immortality  without  the 
Christian  Sacraments,  as  He  sustained  Abraham  and 
the  other  saints  of  old  time;  but  under  the  Gospel 
these  are  His  means,  which  He  appointed  at  His  will. 
We  eat  the  sacred  bread,  and  our  bodies  become  sacred ; 
they  are  not  ours ;  they  are  Christ^s ;  they  are  instinct 
with  that  flesh  which  saw  not  corruption ;  they  are  in- 
habited by  His  Spirit ;  they  become  immortal ;  they  die 
but  to  appearance,  and  for  a  time ;  they  spring  up  when 
their  sleep  is  ended,  and  reign  with  Him  for  ever. 

The  inference  to  be  drawn  from  this  doctrine  is  plain. 
Among  the  wise  men  of  the  heathen,  as  I  have  said,  it 
was  usual  to  speak  slightingly  and  contemptuously  of 
the  mortal  body ;  they  knew  no  better.  They  thought 
it  scarcely  a  part  of  their  real  selves,  and  fancied  they 
should  be  in  a  better  condition  without  it.  Nay,  they 
considered  it  to  be  the  cause  of  their  sinning ;  as  if  the 

through  faith  wrought  in  the  souls  of  the  faithful,  whereby  not  only  their 
souls  live  to  eternal  life,  but  they  surely  trust  to  win  their  bodies  a  resur. 
rection  to  immortality." — Somily  on  the  Sacrament,  Part  I. 

T  2 


276  TJu  Resurrection  of  the  Body. 

soul  of  man  were  pure,  and  the  material  body  were  gross, 
and  defiled  the  soul.  We  have  been  taught  the  truth, 
viz.  that  sin  is  a  disease  of  our  minds,  of  ourselves ;  and 
that  the  whole  of  us,  not  body  alone,  but  soul  and  body, 
is  naturally  corrupt,  and  that  Christ  has  redeemed  and 
cleansed  whatever  we  are,  sinful  soul  and  body.  Accord- 
ingly their  chief  hope  in  death  was  the  notion  they 
should  be  rid  of  their  body.  Feeling  they  were  sinful, 
and  not  knowing  how,  they  laid  the  charge  on  their 
body ;  and  knowing  they  were  badly  circumstanced  here, 
they  thought  death  perchance  miglit  be  a  change  for  the 
better.  Not  that  they  rested  on  the  hope  of  returning 
to  a  God  and  Father,  but  they  thought  to  be  un- 
shackled from  the  earth,  and  able  to  do  what  they 
would.  It  was  consistent  with  this  slighting  of  their 
earthly  tabernacle,  that  they  burned  the  dead  bodies 
of  their  friends,  not  burying  them  as  we  do,  but  con- 
suming them  as  a  mere  worthless  case  of  what  had 
been  precious,  and  was  then  an  incumbrance  to  the 
ground.  Far  different  is  the  temper  which  the  glorious 
light  of  the  Gospel  teaches  us.  Our  bodies  shall  rise 
again  and  live  for  ever;  they  may  not  be  irreverently 
handled.  How  they  will  rise  we  know  not;  but  surely 
if  the  word  of  Scripture  be  true,  the  body  from  which 
the  soul  has  departed  shall  come  to  life.  There  are  some 
truths  addressed  solely  to  our  faith,  not  to  our  reason ; 
not  to  our  reason,  because  we  know  so  little  about 
"the  power  of  God^'  (in  our  Saviour's  words),  that 
we  have  nothing  to  reason  upon.  One  of  these,  for 
instance,  is  the  presence  of  Christ  in  the  Sacrament. 
We  know  we  eat  His  Body  and  Blood;  but  it  is  our 


The  Resurrection  of  the  Body.  277 

wisdom  not  curiously  to  ask  how  or  whence^  not  to 
give  our  thoughts  range,  but  to  take  and  eat  and 
profit  thereby.  This  is  the  secret  of  gaining  the 
blessing  promised.  And  so,  as  regards  the  resur- 
rection of  the  dead,  we  have  no  means  or  ground 
of  argument.  We  cannot  determine  in  what  exact 
sense  our  bodies  on  the  resurrection  will  be  the 
same  as  they  are  at  present,  but  we  cannot  harm  our- 
selves by  taking  God's  declaration  simply,  and  acting 
upon  it.  And  it  is  as  believing  this  comfortable 
truth,  that  the  Christian  Church  put  aside  that  old 
irreverence  of  the  funeral  pile,  and  consecrated  the 
ground  for  the  reception  of  the  saints  that  sleep.  We 
deposit  our  departed  friends  calmly  and  thoughtfully, 
in  faith ;  not  ceasing  to  love  or  remember  that  which 
once  lived  among  us,  but  marking  the  place  where  it 
lies,  as  believing  that  God  has  set  His  seal  upon  it,  and 
His  Angels  guard  it.  His  Angels,  surely,  guard  the 
bodies  of  His  servants ;  Michael  the  Archangel,  thinking 
it  no  unworthy  task  to  preserve  them  from  the  powers 
of  eviP.  Especially  those  like  Moses,  who  fall  "  in  the 
wilderness  of  the  people,^''  whose  duty  has  called  them  to 
danger  and  sufiering,  and  who  die  a  violent  death,  these 
too,  if  they  have  eaten  of  that  incorruptible  bread,  are 
preserved  safe  till  the  last  day.  There  are,  who  have 
not  the  comfort  of  a  peaceful  burial.  They  die  in  battle, 
or  on  the  sea,  or  in  strange  lands,  or,  as  the  early 
believers,  under  the  hands  of  persecutors.  Horrible 
tortures,  or  the  mouths  of  wild  beasts,  have  ere  now 

»  Jude9. 


278  TJie  Resurrection  of  the  Body. 

dishonoured  the  sacred  bodies  of  those  who  had  fed  upon 
Christ ;  and  diseases  corrupt  them  still.  This  is  Satan's 
work,  the  expiring  efforts  of  his  fury,  after  his  overthrow 
by  Christ.  Still,  as  far  as  we  can,  we  repair  these 
insults  of  our  Enemy,  and  tend  honourably  and  piously 
those  tabernacles  in  which  Christ  has  dwelt.  And  in 
this  view,  what  a  venerable  and  fearful  place  is  a 
Church,  in  and  around  which  the  dead  are  deposited ! 
Truly  it  is  chiefly  sacred,  as  being  the  spot  where  God 
has  for  ages  manifested  Himself  to  His  servants;  but 
add  to  this  the  thought,  that  it  is  the  actual  resting- 
place  of  those  very  servants,  through  successive  times, 
who  still  live  unto  Him.  The  dust  around  us  will  one 
day  become  animate.  We  may  ourselves  be  dead  long 
before,  and  not  see  it.  We  ourselves  may  elsewhere 
be  buried,  and,  should  it  be  our  exceeding  blessedness 
to  rise  to  life  eternal,  we  may  rise  in  other  places,  far 
in  the  east  or  west.  But,  as  God's  word  is  sure,  what 
is  sown  is  raised;  the  earth  to  earth,  ashes  to  ashes, 
dust  to  dust,  shall  become  glory  to  glory,  and  life  to  the 
living  God,  and  a  true  incorruptible  image  of  the  spirit 
made  perfect.  Here  the  saints  sleep,  here  they  shall 
rise.  A  great  sight  will  a  Christian  country  then  be, 
if  earth  remains  what  it  is  ;  when  holy  places  pour  out 
the  worshippers  who  have  for  generations  kept  vigil 
therein,  waiting  through  the  long  night  for  the  bright 
coming  of  Christ !  And  if  this  be  so,  what  pious  com- 
posed thoughts  should  be  ours  when  we  enter  Churches ! 
God  indeed  is  every  where,  and  His  Angels  go  to  and 
fro ;  yet  can  they  be  more  worthily  employed  in  theii 
condesceniing  care  of  man,  than  where  good  men  sleep  ? 


T^ie  Restirrection  of  the  Body.  279 

In  the  service  of  the  Communion  we  magnify  God  toge- 
tlier  with  Angels  and  Archangels,  and  all  the  company 
of  heaven.  Surely  there  is  more  meaning  in  this  than 
we  know  of;  what  a  "dreadfuF'  place  would  this  appear, 
if  our  eyes  were  opened  as  those  of  Elisha^s  servant ! 
"  This  is  none  other  than  the  house  of  God,  and  this  is 
the  gate  of  heaven." 

On  the  other  hand,  if  the  dead  bodies  of  Christians 
are  honourable,  so  doubtless  are  the  living  ;  because  they 
have  had  their  blessedness  when  living,  therefore  have 
they  in  their  sleep.  He  who  does  not  honour  his  own 
body  as  something  holy  unto  the  Lord,  may  indeed 
revere  the  dead,  but  it  is  then  a  mere  superstition,  not 
an  act  of  piety.  To  reverence  holy  places  (right  as  it 
is)  will  not  profit  a  man  unless  he  reverences  himself. 
Consider  what  it  is  to  be  partaker  of  the  Body  and 
Blood  of  Christ.  We  pray  God,  in  our  Church's  lan- 
guage, that  "our  sinful  bodies  may  become  clean  through 
His  body;''  and  we  are  promised  in  Scripture,  that  our 
bodies  shall  be  temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  How  should 
we  study,  then,  to  cleanse  them  from  all  sin,  that  they 
may  be  true  members  of  Christ !  We  are  told  that  the 
peril  of  disease  and  death  attends  the  unworthy  par- 
taking of  the  Lord's  Supper.  Is  this  wonderful,  con- 
sidering the  strange  sin  of  receiving  it  into  a  body 
disgraced  by  wilful  disobedience?  All  that  defiles  it, 
intemperance  or  other  vice,  all  that  is  unbecoming,  all 
that  is  disrespectful  to  Him  who  has  bought  our  bodies 
with  a  price,   must  be  put  aside '.     Hear  St.  Paul's 

«  1  Cor.  vi.  20, 


28o  The  Resurrection  of  the  Body. 

words,  "  Christ  being  raised  from  the  dead_,  dietli  no 
more  .  .  .  likewise  reckon  ye  also  yourselves  to  be  dead 
unto  sin  .  .  .  let  not  sin  therefore  reign  in  your  mortal 
body,  tliat  ye  should  obey -it  in  the  lusts  thereof." 
^'If  the  Spirit  of  Him  who  raised  up  Jesus  from  the 
dead  dwell  in  you,  He  that  raised  up  Christ  from  the 
dead  shall    also   quicken   your   mortal    bodies   by    His 

indwelling"  Spirit If  je^  through  the  Spirit,  do 

mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body,  ye  shall  live  ^■" 

Work  together  with  God,  therefore,  my  brethren,  in 
this  wprk  of  your  redemption.  While  He  feeds  you, 
prepare  for  the  heavenly  feast;  "discern  the  Lord^s 
body  "  when  it  is  placed  before  you,  and  suitably  trea- 
sure it  afterwards.  Lay  up  year  by  year  this  seed  of 
life  within  you,  believing  it  will  one  day  bear  fruit. 
"  Believe  that  ye  receive  it,  and  ye  shall  have  it  ^." 
Glorious,  indeed,  will  be  the  spring  time  of  the  Resur- 
rection, when  all  that  seemed  dry  and  withered  will  bud 
forth  and  blossom.  The  glory  of  Lebanon  will  be  given 
it,  the  excellency  of  Carmel  and  Sharon;  the  fir  tree 
for  the  thorn,  the  myrtle  tree  for  the  briar;  and  the 
mountains  and  the  hills  shall  break  forth  before  us  in 
singing.  Who  would  miss  being  of  that  company? 
Wretched  men  they  will  then  appear,  who  now  for  a 
season  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin.  Wretched,  who  follow 
their  own  selfish  wQl,  instead  of  walking  by  faith,  who 
are  now  idle,  instead  of  trying  to  serve  God,  who  are 
set  upon  the  world's  vanities,  or  who  scoff  at  religion,  or 
who  allow  themselves  in  known  sin,  who  live  in  anger, 

>  Rom.  vi.  9—12.  «  Rom.  viii.  11.  »  Mark  ad.  24. 


The  Resu7n'ection  of  the  Body.  281 

or  malice,  or  pride,  or  covetousness,  who  do  not  con- 
tinually strive  to  become  better  and  holier,  who  are 
afraid  to  profess  themselves  Christians  and  take  up  their 
cross  and  follow  Christ.  May  the  good  Lord  make  us 
all  willing  to  follow  Him !  may  He  rouse  the  slum- 
berers,  and  raise  them  to  a  new  life  here,  that  they  may 
inherit  His  eternal  kingdom  hereafter ! 


SERMON   XXII. 
Mlirne00e0  of  t!je  Eeefiiccettion. 

"Him  God  raised  up  the  third  day,  and  showed  Him  openly  ;  not  to 
all  the  people,  but  unto  7uitnesses  chosen  before  of  God,  even  to  us  who 
did  eat  and  drink  with  Him  after  He  rose  from  the  dead." — 
Acts  x.  40,  41. 

TT  mig-ht  have  been  expected,  that,  on  our  Saviour's 
-■-  rising"  again  from  the  dead,  He  would  have  shown 
Himself  to  very  great  numbers  of  people,  and  especially 
to  those  who  crucified  Him;  whereas  we  know  from 
the  history,  that,  far  from  this  being  the  case,  He 
showed  Himself  only  to  chosen  witnesses,  chiefly  His 
immediate  followers;  and  St.  Peter  avows  this  in  the 
text.  This  seems  at  first  sight  strange.  We  are  apt  to 
fancy  the  resurrection  of  Christ  as  some  striking  visible 
display  of  His  glory,  such  as  God  vouchsafed  from  time 
to  time  to  the  Israelites  in  Moses'  day ;  and  consider- 
ing it  in  the  light  of  a  public  triumph,  we  are  led  to 
imagine  the  confusion  and  terror  which  would  have 
overwhelmed  His  murderers,  had  He  presented  Himself 
alive  before  them.  Now,  thus  to  reason,  is  to  conceive 
Christ's  kingdom  of  this  world,  which  it  is  not;  and 
to  suppose  that  then  Christ  came  to  judge  the  world, 


Witnesses  of  the  Resurrection.  283 

whereas  that  judg-ment  will  not  be  till  the  last  day^ 
when  in  very  deed  those  wicked  men  shall  "look  on 
Him  whom  they  have  pierced/' 

But  even  without  insisting  upon  the  spiritual  nature 
of  Christ's  kingdom^  which  seems  to  be  the  direct  reason 
why  Christ  did  not  show  Himself  to  all  the  Jews  after 
His  resurrection,  other  distinct  reasons  may  be  given, 
instructive  too.  And  one  of  these  I  will  now  set  before 
you. 

This  is  the  question,  "Why  did  not  our  Saviour 
show  Himself  after  His  resurrection  to  all  the  people  ? 
why  only  to  witnesses  chosen  before  of  God?"  and  this 
is  my  answer :  "  Because  this  was  the  most  effectual 
means  of  propagating  His  religion  through  the  world." 

After  His  resurrection,  He  said  to  His  disciples,  "  Go, 
convert  all  nations^:"  this  was  His  especial  charge. 
If,  then,  there  are  grounds  for  thinking  that,  by  show- 
ing Himself  to  a  few  rather  than  to  many.  He  was  more 
surely  advancing  this  great  object,  the  propagation  of 
the  Gospel,  this  is  a  sufficient  reason  for  our  Lord's 
having  so  ordained ;  and  let  us  thankfully  receive  His 
dispensation,  as  He  has  given  it. 

1.  Now  consider  what  would  have  been  the  probable 
effect  of  a  public  exhibition  of  His  resurrection.  Let  us 
suppose  that  our  Saviour  had  shown  Himself  as  openly 
as  before  He  suffered ;  preaching  in  the  Temple  and  io 
the  streets  of  the  city ;  traversing  the  land  with  His 
Apostles,  and  with  multitudes  following  to  see  the 
miracles  which  He  did.      What  would  have  been  the 

^  Matt,  xxviii.  19. 


284  Witnesses  of  the  Resurrection. 

effect  of  this  ?     Of  course,  what  it  had  already  been. 
His  former  miracles  had  not  effectually  moved  the  body 
of  the  people ;    and,  doubtless,  this  miracle  too  would 
have  left  them  as  it  found  them,  or  worse  than  before. 
They  mig-ht  have  been  more  startled  at  the  time ;  but 
why    should    this    amazement    last?     When    the   man 
taken  with  a  palsy  was  suddenly  restored  at  His  word, 
the  multitude  were  all  amazed,  and  glorified  God,  and 
were   filled  with  fear,  saying,  "  We  have  seen  strange 
things  to-day  \"     What  could  they  have  said  and  felt 
more  than  this,  when  "one  rose  from  the  dead*'?     In 
truth,  this  is  the  way  of  the  mass  of  mankind  in  all 
ages,  to  be  influenced  by  sudden  fears,  sudden  contrition, 
sudden  earnestness,  sudden  resolves,  which  disappear  as 
suddenly.      Nothing    is   done   effectually   through   un- 
trained human  nature ;   and  such  is  ever  the  condition 
of  the  multitude.     Unstable  as  water,  it  cannot  excel. 
One  day   it  cried   Hosanna ;    the   next,  Cnicify   Him. 
And,  had  our  Lord  appeared  to  them  after  they  had  cru- 
cified Him,  of  course  they  would  have  shouted  Hosanna 
once   more ;    and  when  He  had  ascended  out  of  sight, 
then  again  they  would  have  persecuted  His  followers. 
Besides,  the  miracle  of  the  Resurrection  was  much  more 
exposed  to  the  cavils  of  unbelief  than  others  which  our 
Lord  had  displayed ;  than  that,  for  instance,  of  feeding 
the  multitudes  in  the  wilderness.     Had  our  Lord  ap- 
peared in  public,  yet  few  could  have  touched  Him,  and 
certified  themselves  it  was  He  Himself.     Few,  compara- 
tively, in  a  great  multitude  could  so  have  seen  Him 

>  Lokov.  28. 


Witnesses  of  the  Resurrection.  28  5 

both  before  and  after  His  death,  as  to  be  adequate  wit- 
nesses of  the  reality  of  the  miracle.  It  would  have  been 
open  to  the  greater  number  of  them  still  to  deny  that 
He  was  risen.  This  is  the  very  feeling  St.  Matthew 
records.  When  He  appeared  on  a  mountain  in  Galilee 
to  His  apostles  and  others,  as  it  would  seem  (perhaps 
the  five  hundred  brethren  mentioned  by  St.  Paul),  "some 
doubted"  whether  it  were  He.  How  could  it  be  other- 
wise? these  had  no  means  of  ascertaining  that  they 
really  saw  Him  who  had  been  crucified,  dead,  and  buried. 
Others,  admitting  it  was  Jesus,  would  have  denied 
that  He  ever  died.  Not  having  seen  Him  dead  on  the 
cross,  they  might  have  pretended  He  was  taken  down 
thence  before  life  was  extinct,  and  so  restored.  This 
supposition  would  be  a  sufficient  excuse  to  those  who 
wished  not  to  believe.  And  the  more  ignorant  part 
would  fancy  they  had  seen  a  spirit  without  flesh  and 
bones  as  man  has.  They  would  have  resolved  the  mi- 
racle into  a  magical  illusion,  as  the  Pharisees  had  done 
before,  when  they  ascribed  His  works  to  Beelzebub ;  and 
would  have  been  rendered  no  better  or  more  religious  by 
the  sight  of  Him,  than  the  common  people  are  now-a-days 
by  tales  of  apparitions  and  witches. 

Surely  so  it  would  have  been  ;  the  chief  priests  would 
not  have  been  moved  at  all ;  and  the  populace,  however 
they  had  been  moved  at  the  time,  would  not  have  been 
lastingly  moved,  not  practically  moved,  not  so  moved  as 
to  proclaim  to  the  world  what  they  had  heard  and  seen, 
as  to  preach  the  Gospel.  This  is  the  point  to  be  kept  in 
view:  and  consider  that  the  very  reason  why  Christ 
showed  HimseK  at  all  was  in  order  to  raise  up  witnesses 


286  Witnesses  of  the  Resurrection. 

to  His  resurrection^  ministers  of  His  word,  founders  of 
His  Church ;  and  how  in  the  nature  of  things  could  a 
populace  ever  become  such  ? 

2.  Now,  on  the  other  hand,  let  us  contemplate  the 
means  which  His  Divine  Wisdom  actually  adopted  with 
a  view  of  making-  His  resurrection  subservient  to  the 
propagation  of  His  Gospel. — He  showed  Himself  openly, 
not  to  all  the  people,  but  unto  witnesses  chosen  before  of 
God.  It  isj  indeed,  a  general  characteristic  of  the  course 
of  His  providence  to  make  the  few  the  channels  of  His 
blessings  to  the  many ;  but  in  the  instance  we  are  con- 
templating, a  few  were  selected,  because  only  a  few  could 
(humanly  speaking)  be  made  instruments.  As  I  have 
already  said,  to  be  witnesses  of  His  resurrection  it  was 
requisite  to  have  known  our  Lord  intimately  before  His 
death.  This  was  the  case  with  the  Apostles ;  but  this 
was  not  enough.  It  was  necessary  they  should  be 
certain  it  was  He  Himself,  the  very  same  whom  they 
before  knew.  You  recollect  how  He  urged  them  to 
handle  Him,  and  be  sure  that  they  could  testify  to  His 
rising  again.  This  is  intimated  in  the  text  also; 
"witnesses  chosen  before  of  God,  even  to  us  who  did 
eat  and  drink  with  Him  after  He  rose  from  the  dead." 
Nor  were  they  required  merely  to  know  Him,  but  the 
thought  of  Him  was  to  be  stamped  upon  their  minds  as 
the  one  master-spring  of  their  whole  course  of  Hfe  for 
the  future.  But  men  are  not  easily  wrought  upon  to  be 
faithful  advocates  of  any  cause.  Not  only  is  the  multi- 
tude fickle  :  but  the  best  men,  unless  ui*ged,  tutored, 
disciplined  to  their  work,  give  way ;  untrained  nature 
has  no  principles. 


Witnesses  of  the  Resurrection.  287 

It  would  seem^  tlien^  that  our  Lord  gave  His  attention 
to  a  few,  because,  if  the  few  be  gained,  the  many  will  follow. 
To  these  few  He  showed  Himself  again  and  again.  These 
He  restored,  comforted,  warned,  inspired.  He  formed 
them  unto  Himself,  that  they  might  show  forth  His 
praise.  This  His  gracious  procedure  is  opened  to  us  in 
the  first  words  of  the  Book  of  the  Acts.  ''^To  the 
Apostles  whom  He  had  chosen  He  showed  Himself 
alive  after  His  passion  by  many  infallible  proofs ;  being 
seen  of  them  forty  days,  and  speaking  of  the  things 
pertaining  to  the  kingdom  of  God.''  Consider,  then,  if 
we  may  state  the  alternative  reverently,  which  of  the 
two  seems  the  more  likely  way,  even  according  to  a 
human  wisdom,  of  forming  preachers  of  the  Gospel  to 
all  nations, — the  exhibition  of  the  Resurrection  to  the 
Jewish  people  generally,  or  this  intimate  private  certi- 
fying of  it  to  a  few  ?  And  remember  that,  as  far  as  we 
can  understand,  the  two  procedures  were  inconsistent 
with  each  other;  for  that  period  of  preparatory  prayer, 
meditation,  and  instruction,  which  the  Apostles  passed 
under  our  Lord's  visible  presence  for  forty  days,  was  to 
them  what  it  could  not  have  been,  had  they  been  follow- 
ing Him  from  place  to  place  in  public,  supposing  there 
had  been  an  object  in  this,  and  mixing  in  the  busy 
crowds  of  the  world. 

3.  I  have  already  suggested,  what  is  too  obvious 
almost  to  insist  upon,  that  in  making  a  select  few  the 
ministers  of  His  mercy  to  mankind  at  large,  our  Lord 
was  but  acting  according  to  the  general  course  of  His 
providence.  It  is  plain  every  great  change  is  efiected 
by  the  few,  not  by  the  many ;    by  the   resolute,  un- 


288  Witnesses  of  the  Resurrection. 

daunted,  zealous  few.  True  it  is  that  societies  some- 
times fall  to  pieces  by  their  own  corruption,  which  is  in 
one  sense  a  change  without  special  instruments  chosen 
or  allowed  by  God  ;  but  this  is  a  dissolution,  not  a 
work.  Doubtless,  much  may  be  undone  by  the  many, 
but  nothing  is  done  except  by  those  who  are  specially 
trained  for  action.  In  the  midst  of  the  famine  Jacobus 
sons  stood  looking  one  upon  another,  but  did  nothing. 
One  or  two  men,  of  small  outward  pretensions,  but  with 
their  hearts  in  their  work,  these  do  great  things. 
These  are  prepared,  not  by  sudden  excitement,  or  by 
v^ague  general  belief  in  the  truth  of  their  cause,  but  by 
deeply  impressed,  often  repeated  instruction ;  and  since 
it  stands  to  reason  that  it  is  easier  to  teach  a  few  than  a 
great  number,  it  is  plain  such  men  always  will  be  few. 
Such  as  these  spread  the  knowledge  of  Christ^s  resur- 
rection over  the  idolatrous  world.  Well  they  answered 
the  teaching  of  their  Lord  and  Master.  Their  success 
sufficiently  approves  to  us  His  wisdom  in  showing  Him- 
self to  them,  not  to  all  the  people. 

4.  Remember,  too,  this  further  reason  why  the  wit- 
nesses of  the  Resurrection  were  few  in  number;  viz. 
because  they  were  on  the  side  of  Truth.  If  the  witnesses 
were  to  be  such  as  really  loved  and  obeyed  the  Truth, 
there  could  not  be  many  chosen.  Chrisl''s  cause  was  the 
cause  of  light  and  religion,  therefore  His  advocates  and 
ministers  were  necessarily  few.  It  is  an  old  proverb 
(which  even  the  heathen  admitted),  that  "  the  many  are 
bad.^'  Christ  did  not  confide  His  Gospel  to  the  many ; 
had  He  done  so,  we  may  even  say,  that  it  would  have 
been  at  first  sight  a  presumption  against  its  coming 


Witnesses  of  the  Resurrection.  289 

from  God.  What  was  the  chief  work  of  His  whole 
ministry,  but  that  of  choosing  and  separating  from  the 
multitude  those  who  should  be  fit  recipients  of  His 
Truth  ?  As  He  went  the  round  of  the  country  again 
and  again,  through  Galilee  and  Judea,  He  tried  the 
spirits  of  men  the  while;  and  rejecting  the  baser  sort 
who  "  honoured  Him  with  their  lips  while  their  hearts 
were  far  from  Him/'  He  specially  chose  twelve.  The 
many  He  put  aside  for  a  while  as  an  adulterous  and 
sinful  generation,  intending  to  make  one  last  experiment 
on  the  mass  when  the  Spirit  should  come.  But  His 
twelve  He  brought  near  to  Himself  at  once,  and  taught 
them.  Then  He  sifted  them,  and  one  fell  away ;  the 
eleven  escaped  as  though  by  fire.  For  these  eleven 
especially  He  rose  again ;  He  visited  them  and  taught 
them  for  forty  days ;  for  in  them  He  saw  the  fruit  of 
the  "  travail  of  His  soul  and  was  satisfied ; "  in  them 
''  He  saw  His  seed.  He  prolonged  His  days,  and  the 
pleasure  of  the  Lord  prospered  in  His  hand.''  These 
were  His  witnesses,  for  they  had  the  love  of  the  Truth 
in  their  hearts.  "  I  have  chosen  you,"  He  says  to  them, 
"  and  ordained  you  that  ye  should  go  and  bring  forth 
fruit,  and  that  your  fruit  should  remain  V" 

So  much  then  in  answer  to  the  question.  Why  did  not 
Christ  show  Himself  to  the  whole  Jewish  people  after 
His  resurrection.  I  ask  in  reply,  what  would  have  been 
the  use  of  it?  a  mere  passing  triumph  over  sinners 
whose  judgment  is  reserved  for  the  next  world.  On  the 
other  hand,  such  a  procedure  would  have  interfered  with, 

>  John  xv.  16. 
[I]  D 


290  Witnesses  of  the  Resurrection 

nay,  defeated,  the  real  object  of  His  rising  again,  the 
pro])agation  of  His  Gospel  through  the  world  by  means 
of  His  own  intimate  friends  and  followers.  And  further, 
this  preference  of  the  few  to  the  many  seems  to  have 
been  necessary  from  the  nature  of  man,  since  all  great 
works  are  effected,  not  by  a  multitude,  but  by  the  deep- 
seated  resolution  of  a  few; — nay,  necessary  too  from 
man's  depravity,  for,  alas !  popular  favour  is  hardly  to 
be  expected  for  the  cause  of  Truth.  And  our  Lord's 
instruments  were  few,  if  for  no  other  reason,  yet  at  least 
for  this,  because  more  were  not  to  be  found,  because 
there  were  but  few  faithful  Israelites  without  guile  in 
Israel  according  to  the  flesh. 

Now,  let  us  observe  how  much  matter,  both  for 
warning  and  comfort,  is  supplied  by  this  view.  Wp 
learn  from  the  picture  of  the  infant  Church  what  that 
Church  has  been  ever  since,  that  is,  as  far  as  man  can 
understand  it.  Many  are  called,  few  are  chosen.  We 
learn  to  reflect  on  the  great  danger  there  is,  lest  we  be 
not  in  the  number  of  the  chosen,  and  are  warned  to 
'  watch  and  pray  that  we  enter  not  into  temptation,'' 
to  "  work  out  our  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling," 
to  seek  God's  mercy  in  His  Holy  Church,  and  to  pray 
to  Him  ever  that  He  would  ^^  fulfil  in  us  the  good  plea- 
sure of  His  will,"  and  complete  what  He  once  began. 

But,  besides  this,  we  are  comforted  too ;  we  are 
comforted,  as  many  of  us  as  are  living  humbly  in 
the  fear  of  God.  Who  those  secret  ones  are,  who  in 
the  bosom  of  the  visible  Church  live  as  saints  fulfil- 
ling their  calling,  God  only  knows.  We  are  in  the 
dark  about  it.      We    may  indeed  know    much   about 


Witnesses  of  the  Resurrection.  291 

ourselves,  and  we  may  form  somewhat  of  a  judgment 
about  those  with  whom  we  are  well  acquainted.  But 
of  the  general  body  of  Christians  we  know  little  or 
nothing.  It  is  our  duty  to  consider  them  as  Chris- 
tians, to  take  them  as  we  find  them,  and  to  love  them ; 
and  it  is  no  concern  of  ours  to  debate  about  their  state 
in  God^s  sight.  Without,  however,  entering  into  this 
question  concerning  God^s  secret  counsels,  let  us  receive 
this  truth  before  us  for  a  practical  purpose ;  that  is,  I 
speak  to  all  who  are  conscious  to  themselves  that  they 
wish  and  try  to  serve  God,  whatever  their  progress  in 
religion  be,  and  whether  or  not  they  dare  apply  to 
themselves,  or  in  whatever  degree,  the  title  of  Christian 
in  its  most  sacred  sense.  All  who  obey  the  Truth  are 
on  the  side  of  the  Truth,  and  the  Truth  will  prevail. 
Few  in  number  but  strong  in  the  Spirit,  despised  by 
the  world,  yet  making  way  while  they  suffered,  the 
twelve  Apostles  overturned  the  power  of  darkness,  and 
established  the  Christian  Church.  And  let  all  "  who 
love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity  ^^  be  quite  sure, 
that  weak  though  they  seem,  and  solitary,  yet  the 
"  foolishness  of  God  is  wiser  than  men,  and  the  weak- 
ness of  God  is  stronger  than  men.'^  The  many  are 
"  deceitful,"  and  the  worldly-wise  are  "  vain ;  "  but 
he  "  that  feareth  the  Lord,  the  same  shall  be  praised.''^ 
The  most  excellent  gifts  of  the  intellect  last  but  for  a 
season.  Eloquence  and  wit,  shrewdness  and  dexterity, 
these  plead  a  cause  well  and  propagate  it  quickly,  but 
it  dies  with  them.  It  has  no  root  in  the  hearts  of  men, 
and  lives  not  out  a  generation.  It  is  the  consolation  of 
the  despised  Truth,  that  its  works  endure.     Its  words 


igi  Witnesses  of  the  Resurrection. 

are  few,  but  they  live.  Abel's  faith  to  this  day,  "  yet 
speaketh '/'  The  blood  of  the  Martyrs  is  the  seed  of 
the  Church.  "  Fret  not  thyself  then  "because  of  evil 
doers,  neither  be  thou  envious  against  the  workers  of 
iniquity.  For  they  shall  soon  be  cut  down  like  the  grass, 
and  wither  as  the  green  herb.  Trust  in  the  Lord  and 
do  good  ....  delight  thyself  also  in  Him,  and  He 
shall  give  thee  the  desires  of  thy  heart ;  commit  thy  way 
unto  the  Lord,  trust  also  in  Him,  and  He  shall  bring  it 

to  pass He  shall  bring  forth  thy  righteousness 

as  the  light,  and  thy  judgment  as  the  noon-day 

A  little  that  a  righteous  man  hath  is  better  than  the 
riches  of  many  wicked.  For  the  arms  of  the  wicked 
shall  be  broken,  but  the  Lord  upholdeth  the  righteous. 
....  I  have  seen  the  wicked  in  great  power,  and 
spreading  himself  like  a  green  bay-tree,  yet  he  passed 
away,  and,  lo !  he  was  not ;  yea,  I  sought  him,  and  he 
could  not  be  found  '."  The  heathen  world  made  much 
ado  when  the  Apostles  preached  the  Resurrection.  They 
and  their  associates  were  sent  out  as  lambs  among 
wolves  \  but  they  prevailed. 

We,  too,  though  we  are  not  witnesses  of  Christ's 
actual  resurrection,  are  so  spiritually.  By  a  heart 
awake  from  the  dead,  and  by  affections  set  on  heaven, 
we  can  as  truly  and  without  figure  witness  that  Christ 
liveth,  as  they  did.  He  that  belie veth  on  the  Son  of 
God  hath  the  witness  in  himself  Truth  bears  witness 
by  itself  to  its  Divine  Author.  He  who  obeys  God  con- 
scientiously, and  lives  holily,  forces  all  about  him  to 

1  Heb.  xL  4.  ^  Ps.  xixvii.  1—6.  16,  17,  35,  36. 


Witnesses  of  the  Resurrection.  293 

beKeve  and  tremble  before  the  unseen  power  of  Christ. 
To  the  world  indeed  at  large  he  witnesses  not ;  for  few 
can  see  him  near  enough  to  be  moved  by  his  manner  of 
living.  But  to  his  neighbours  he  manifests  the  Truth 
in  proportion  to  their  knowledge  of  him ;  and  some  of 
them,  through  God's  blessing,  catch  the  holy  flame, 
cherish  it^  and  in  their  turn  transmit  it.  And  thus  in 
a  dark  world  Truth  still  makes  way  in  spite  of  the 
darkness,  passing  from  hand  to  hand.  And  thus  it 
keeps  its  station  in  high  places,  acknowledged  as  the 
creed  of  nations,  the  multitude  of  which  are  ignorant, 
the  while,  on  what  it  rests,  how  it  came  there,  how  it 
keeps  its  ground;  and  despising  it,  think  it  easy  to 
dislodge  it.  But  ^^the  Lord  reigneth.^^  He  is  risen 
from  the  dead,  "  His  throne  is  established  of  old ;  He 
is  from  everlasting.  The  floods  have  lifted  up  their 
voice,  the  floods  lift  up  their  waves.  The  Lord  on  high 
is  mightier  than  the  noise  of  many  waters,  yea,  than  the 
mighty  waves  of  the  sea.  His  testimonies  are  very  sure; 
holiness  becometh  His  house  for  ever'." 

Let  these  be  our  thoughts  whenever  the  prevalence  of 
error  leads  us  to  despond.  When  St.  Peter's  disciple, 
Ignatius,  was  brought  before  the  Roman  emperor,  he 
called  himself  Theophorus ;  and  when  the  emperor  asked 
the  feeble  old  man  why  he  so  called  himself,  Ignatius 
said  it  was  because  he  carried  Christ  in  his  breast.  He 
witnessed  there  was  but  One  God,  who  made  heaven, 
earth,  and  sea,  and  all  that  is  in  them,  and  One  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  His  Only -begotten  Son,  "  whose  kingdom 

^  Ps.  xciii.  2 — 5. 


294  Witnesses  of  the  Resurrection. 

(he  added)  be  my  portion  V  The  emperor  asked, 
"  His  kingdom,  say  you,  who  was  crucified  under 
Pilate?"  "His  (answered  the  Saint)  who  crucified 
my  sin  in  me,  and  who  has  put  all  the  fraud  and 
malice  of  Satan  under  the  feet  of  those  who  carry  Him 
in  their  hearts :  as  it  is  written,  '  I  dwell  in  them  and 
walk  in  them/ '' 

Ignatius  was  one  against  many,  as  St.  Peter  had  been 
before  him ;  and  was  put  to  death  as  the  Apostle  had 
been; — but  he  handed  on  the  Truth,  in  his  day.  At 
length  we  have  received  it.  Weak  though  we  be,  and 
soKtary,  God  forbid  we  should  not  in  our  turn  hand 
it  on;  glorifying  Him  by  our  lives,  and  in  all  our 
words  and  works  witnessing  Christ's  passion,  death, 
and  resurrection  I 


SERMON  XXIIL 
Cl)n0tian  Eeterence* 

■'  Serve  the  Lord  with  fear,  and  rejoice  with  trembling." — PsALM   ii,  li. 


w 


^HY  did  Christ  show  Himself  to  so  few  witnesses 
after  He  rose  from  the  dead  ?  Because  He  was  a 
King,  a  King  exalted  upon  God^s  "  Holy  hill  of  Zion ; " 
as  the  Psalm  says  which  contains  the  text.  Kings  do 
not  court  the  multitude,  or  show  themselves  as  a  spectacle 
at  the  will  of  others.  They  are  the  rulers  of  their 
people,  and  have  their  state  as  such,  and  are  reverently 
waited  on  by  their  great  men :  and  when  they  show 
themselves,  they  do  so  out  of  their  condescension.  They 
act  by  means  of  their  servants,  and  must  be  sought  by 
those  who  would  gain  favours  from  them. 

Christ,  in  like  manner,  when  exalted  as  the  Only- 
begotten  Son  of  God,  did  not  mix  with  the  Jewish 
people,  as  in  the  days  of  His  humiliation.  He  rose  from 
the  grave  in  secret,  and  taught  in  secret  for  foi-ty  days, 
because  "the  government  was  upon  His  shoulder.''  He 
was  no  longer  a  servant  washing  His  disciples'  feet,  and 
dependent  on  the  wayward  will  of  the  multitude.  He 
was  the  acknowledged  Heir  of  all  things.     His  throng 


296  Christian  Reverence. 

was  established  by  a  Divine  decree;  and  those  who 
desired  His  salvation,  were  bound  to  seek  His  face.  Yet 
not  even  by  those  who  sought  was  He  at  once  found. 
He  did  not  permit  the  world  to  approach  Him  rashly,  or 
cm-iously  to  g-aze  on  Him.  Those  only  did  He  call 
beside  Him  who  had  been  His  friends,  who  loved  Him. 
Those  only  He  bade  "  ascend  the  hill  of  the  Lord,"  who 
had  "  clean  hands  and  a  pure  heart,  who  had  not  wor- 
shipped vanity  nor  sworn  deceitfully."  These  drew 
near,  and  "  saw  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,"  and  so  were 
fitted  to  bear  the  news  of  Him  to  the  people  at  large. 
Ke  remained  "in  His  holy  temple;"  they  from  Him 
proclaimed  the  tidings  of  His  resurrection,  and  of  His 
mercy,  His  free  pardon  ofiered  to  all  men,  and  the 
promises  of  grace  and  glory  which  His  death  had  pro- 
cured for  all  who  believe. 

Thus  are  we  taught  to  serve  our  risen  Lord  with  fear, 
and  rejoice  with  trembling.  Let  us  pursue  the  subject 
thus  opened  upon  us. — Christ's  second  sojourn  on  earth 
(aft«r  His  resurrection)  was  in  secret.  The  time  had 
been  when  He  '^preached  openly  in  the  synagogues," 
and  in  the  public  ways ;  and  openly  wrought  miracles 
such  as  man  never  did.  Was  there  to  be  no  end  of  His 
labours  in  our  behalf?  His  death  "finished"  them; 
afterwards  He  taught  His  followers  only.  Who  shall 
complain  of  His  withdrawing  Himself  at  last  from  the 
world,  when  it  was  of  His  own  spontaneous  loving- 
kindness  that  He  ever  showed  Himself  at  all  ? 

Yet  it  must  be  borne  in  mind,  that  even  before  He 
entered  into  His  glory,  Christ  spoke  and  acted  as  a 
Kin^.     It  must  not  be  supposed  that,  even  in  the  days 


Christian  Reverence,  297 

of  His  flesh,  He  could  forg-et  who  He  was,  or  "^  behave 
Himself  unseemly  "  by  any  weak  submission  to  the  will 
of  the  Jewish  people.  Even  in  the  lowest  acts  of  His 
self-abasement,  still  He  showed  His  greatness.  Consider 
His  conduct  when  He  washed  St.  Peter's  feet,  and  see  if 
it  were  not  calcxilated  (assuredly  it  was)  to  humble,  to 
awe,  and  subdue  the  very  person  to  whom  He  ministered. 
When  He  taught,  warned,  pitied,  prayed  for,  His 
ignorant  hearers.  He  never  allowed  them  to  relax  their 
reverence  or  to  overlook  His  condescension.  Nay,  He 
did  not  allow  them  to  praise  Him  aloud,  and  publish 
His  acts  of  grace ;  as  if  what  is  called  popularity  would 
be  a  dishonour  to  His  holy  name,  and  the  applause  of 
men  would  imply  their  right  to  censure.  The  world's 
praise  is  akin  to  contempt.  Our  Lord  delights  in  the 
tribute  of  the  secret  heart.  Such  was  His  conduct  in  the 
days  of  His  flesh.  Does  it  not  interpret  His  dealings 
with  us  after  His  resurrection  ?  He  who  was  so  reserved 
in  His  communications  of  Himself,  even  when  He  came 
to  minister,  much  more  would  withdraw  Himself  from 
the  eyes  of  men  when  He  was  exalted  over  all  things. 

I  have  said,  that  even  when  a  servant,  Christ  spoke 
with  the  authority  of  a  king ;  and  have  given  you  some 
proof  of  it.  But  it  may  be  well  to  dwell  upon  this. 
Observe  then,  the  difference  between  His  promises, 
stated  doctrinally  and  generally,  and  His  mode  of 
addressing  those  who  came  actually  before  Him.  While 
He  announced  God's  willingness  to  forgive  all  repentant 
sinners,  in  all  the  fulness  of  loving-kindness  and  tender 
mercy,  yet  He  did  not  use  supplication  to  these  persons 
or  those,  whatever  their  number  or  their  rank  might  be. 


298  Christian  Reverence. 

He  spoke  as  one  who  knew  He  had  great  favours  to 
confer,  and  had  nothing  to  gain  from  those  who  received 
them.  Far  from  urging  them  to  accept  His  bounty,  He 
showed  Himself  even  backward  to  confer  it,  inquired 
into  their  knowledge  and  motives,  and  cautioned  them 
against  entering  His  service  without  counting  the  cost 
of  it.  Thus  sometimes  He  even  repelled  men  from 
Him. 

For  instance :  When  there  went  "  great  multitudes 
with  Him  ....  He  turned  and  said  unto  them,  If  any 
man  come  to  Me,  and  hate  not  his  father  and  mother, 
and  wife  and  children,  and  brothers  and  sisters,  yea,  and 
his  own  life  also,  he  cannot  be  My  disciple.'^  These 
were  not  the  words  of  one  who  courted  popularity.  He 
proceeds ; — ''  Which  of  you  intending  to  build  a  tower, 
sitteth  not  down  first,  and  counteth  the  cost,  whether  he 
have  sufficient  to  finish  it  ?  ....  So  likewise,  whosoever 
he  be  of  you,  that  forsaketh  not  all  that  he  hath,  he 
cannot  be  My  disciple  \  "  On  the  other  hand,  observe 
His  conduct  to  the  powerful  men,  and  the  learned 
Scribes  and  Pharisees,  There  are  persons  who  look  up 
to  human  power,  and  who  are  pleased  to  associate  their 
uames  with  the  accomplished  and  cultivated  of  this 
world.  Our  blessed  I^ord  was  as  inflexible  towards 
these,  as  towards  the  crowds  which  followed  Him. 
They  asked  for  a  sign ;  He  named  them  "  an  evil  and 
adulterous  generation,"  who  refused  to  profit  by  what 
they  had  already  received  I  They  asked  Him,  whether 
He  did  not  confess  Himself  to  be  One  with  God ;  but 

1  Lake  xiv.  25—33.  «  Matt.  xii.  39 ;  xxi.  23—27. 


Christian  Reverence.  299 

He,  rather  than  tell  such  proud  disputers,  seemed  even 
to  abandon  His  own  real  claim,  and  made  His  former 
clear  words  ambiguous '.  Such  was  the  King  of  Israel 
in  the  eyes  both  of  the  multitude  and  of  their  rulers ;  a 
"  hard  saying/'  a  "  rock  of  offence  even  to  the  dis- 
obedient," who  came  to  Him  "with  their  lips,  while 
their  hearts  were  far  from  Him."  Continue  this  survey 
to  the  case  of  individuals,  and  it  will  still  appear,  that, 
loving  and  merciful  as  He  was  most  abundantly,  yet 
still  He  showed  both  His  power  and  His  grace  with 
reserve,  even  to  them,  as  well  as  to  the  fickle  many,  or 
the  unbelieving  Pharisees. 

One  instance  is  preserved  to  us  of  a  person  addressing 
Him,  with  some  notions,  indeed,  of  His  greatness,  but 
in  a  light  and  careless  tone.  The  narrative  is  instructive 
from  the  mixture  of  good  and  bad  which  the  inquirer's 
character  displays  *.  He  was  young,  and  wealthy,  and  is 
called  "  a  ruler ; "  yet  was  anxious  for  Christ's  favour. 
So  far  was  well.  Nay,  he  "  came  running  and  kneeling 
to  Him."  And  he  seemed  to  address  Him  in  what 
would  generally  be  considered  as  respectful  terms : 
"  Good  Master,"  he  said.  Yet  our  Saviour  saw  in  his 
conduct  a  deficiency ; — "  One  thing  thou  lackest : "  viz. 
devotion  in  the  true  sense  of  the  word, — a  giving  himself 
up  to  Christ.  This  young  man  seems  to  have  con- 
sidered religion  as  an  easy  work,  and  thought  he  could 
Live  as  the  world,  and  yet  serve  God  acceptably.  In 
consequence,  we  may  suppose,  he  had  little  right  notion 

1  John  X.  30—37. 

*  Matt.  xix.  16—22.    Mark  x.  17—22.     Luke  xviii.  18—23. 


300  Christian  Reverence. 

of  the  dignity  of  a  Messenger  from  God.  He  did  not 
associate  the  Ministers  of  religion  with  awful  prospects 
beyond  the  grave,  in  which  he  was  interested ;  nor 
reverence  them  accordingly,  though  he  was  not  without 
some  kind  of  respect  for  them.  Doubtless  he  thought 
he  was  honouring  our  Lord  when  he  had  called  Him 
"  Good  Master;  '*  and  would  have  been  surprised  to  hear 
his  attachment  to  sacred  subjects  and  appointments 
called  in  question.  Yet  our  Saviour  rejected  such  half 
homage,  and  rebuked  what  even  seemed  piously  offered. — 
"  Why  callest  thou  Me  good  ?  "  He  asked ;  "  There  is 
none  good  but  One,  that  is,  God :"  as  if  He  said, 
''  Observest  thou  what  words  thou  art  using  as  if  words 
of  course  ?  '  Good  Master ' — am  I  accounted  by  thee  as  a 
teacher  of  man's  creation,  and  over  whom  man  has  power, 
and  to  be  accosted  by  a  form  of  honour,  which,  through 
length  of  time,  has  lost  its  meaning ;  or  am  I  acknow- 
ledged to  come  and  have  authority  from  Him  who  is  the 
only  source  of  goodness  ? ''  Nor  did  our  Lord  relax  His 
severity  even  after  this  reproof.  Expressly  as  it  is  told 
us,  "  He  loved  him"  and  spoke  to  him  therefore  in  great 
compassion  and  mercy,  yet  He  strictly  charged  him  to 
sell  all  he  had  and  give  it  away,  if  he  would  show  he  was 
in  earnest,  and  He  sent  him  away  "  sorrowful.^' 

You  may  recollect,  too,  our  Lord's  frequent  inquiry 
into  the  faith  of  those  who  came  to  Him.  This  arose, 
doubtless,  from  the  same  rule, — a  regard  to  His  own 
Majesty  as  a  King.  "  If  thou  canst  believe,  all  things 
are  possible  to  him  that  belie veth\  "     He  did  not  work 

t  Mark  Lc  23. 


Christian  Reverence.  30  x 

miracles  as  a  mere  display  of  power ;  or  allow  the  world 
profanely  to  look  on  as  at  some  exhibition  of  art.  In 
this  respect,  as  in  others,  even  Moses  and  Elias  stand 
in  contrast  with  Him.  Moses  wrought  miracles  before 
Pharaoh  to  rival  the  magicians  of  Egypt.  Elijah  chal- 
lenged the  prophets  of  Baal  to  bring  down  fire  from 
heaven.  The  Son  of  God  deigned  not  to  exert  His 
power  before  Herod,  after  Moses^  pattern;  nor  to  be 
judged  by  the  multitude,  as  Elijah.  He  subdued  the 
power  of  Satan  at  His  own  appointed  seasons ;  but  when 
the  Devil  tempted  Him  and  demanded  a  miracle  in  proof 
of  His  Divinity,  He  would  do  none. 

Further,  even  when  an  inquirer  showed  earnestness, 
still  He  did  not  try  to  gain  him  over  by  smooth  repre- 
sentations of  His  doctrine.  He  declared,  indeed,  the 
general  characteristic  of  His  doctrine,  "My  yoke  is 
easy;"  but  "  He  made  Himself  strange  and  spake 
roughly  "  to  those  who  came  to  Him.  Nicodemus  was 
another  ruler  of  the  Jews,  who  sought  Him,  and  he 
professed  his  belief  in  His  miracles  and  Divine  mission. 
Oui  Saviour  answered  in  these  severe  words ; — "  Verily, 
verily,  I  say  unto  thee.  Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he 
cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God." 

Such  was  our  Saviour's  conduct  even  during  the 
period  of  His  ministry ;  much  more  might  we  expect  it 
to  be  such,  when  He  had  risen  from  His  state  of  servi- 
tude, and  such  we  find  it. 

No  man  saw  Him  rise  from  the  grave.  His  Angels 
indeed  beheld  it ;  but  His  earthly  followers  were  away, 
and  the  heathen  soldiers  were  not  worthy.  They  saw, 
indeed,  the  great  Angel,  who  rolled  away  the  atone 


302  Christian  Reverence. 

from  the  opening  of  the  tomb.  This  was  Christ's 
servant;  but  Him  they  saw  not.  Re  was  on  His  way 
to  see  His  own  faithful  and  mourning  followers.  To 
these  He  had  revealed  His  doctrine  during  His  humilia- 
tion, and  called  them  *'  His  friends*."  First  of  all,  He 
appeared  to  Mary  Magdalene  in  the  garden  itself  where 
He  had  been  buried ;  then  to  the  other  women  whc 
ministered  unto  Him  ;  then  to  the  two  disciples  travel- 
ling to  Emmaus ;  then  to  all  the  Apostles  separately ; 
besides,  to  Peter  and  to  James ;  and  to  Thomas  in  the 
presence  of  them  all.  Yet  not  even  these,  His  friends, 
had  free  access  to  Him.  He  said  to  Mary,  "  Touch  Me 
not.'^  He  came  and  left  them  according  to  His  own 
pleasure.  When  they  saw  Him,  they  felt  an  awe  which 
they  had  not  felt  during  His  ministry.  While  they 
doubted  if  it  were  He,  "  None  of  them,  "  S.  John  says, 
"  durst  ask  Him,  Who  art  Thou  ?  believing  that  it  was 
the  Lord  ^"  However,  as  kings  have  their  days  of 
state,  on  which  they  show  themselves  publicly  to  their 
subjects,  so  our  Lord  appointed  a  meeting  of  His  dis- 
ciples, when  they  might  see  Him.  He  had  determined 
this  even  before  His  crucifixion ;  and  the  Angels 
reminded  them  of  it.  "  He  goeth  before  you  into 
Galilee ;  there  shall  ye  see  Him,  as  He  said  unto  you '." 
The  place  of  meeting  was  a  mountain ;  the  same  (it  is 
supposed)  as  that  on  which  He  had  been  transfigured ; 
and  the  number  who  saw  Him  there  was  five  hundred 
at  once,  if  we  join  St.  Paul's  account  to  that  in  the 

1  Matt.  xiii.  11.     John  xv.  15.  *  Johu  xxi.  12. 

^  Mark  ivi.  7. 


Ckristtan  Reverence.  303 

Gospels.  At  lengthy  after  forty  days,  He  was  taken 
from  them ;  He  ascended  up,  "  and  a  cloud  received 
Him  out  of  their  sight/' 

Are  we  to  feel  less  humble  veneration  for  Him  now, 
than  His  Apostles  then?  Though  He  is  our  Saviour, 
and  has  removed  all  slavish  fear  of  death  and  judgment, 
are  we,  therefore,  to  make  light  of  the  prospect  before 
us,  as  if  we  were  sure  of  that  reward  which  He  bids  us 
struggle  for?  Assuredly,  we  are  still  to  "serve  the 
Lord  with  fear,  and  rejoice  with  reverence,^' — to  "  kiss 
the  Son,  lest  He  be  angry,  and  so  we  perish  from  the 
right  way,  if  His  wrath  be  kindled,  yea  but  a  little." 
In  a  Christian's  course,y*mr  and  love  must  go  together. 
And  this  is  the  lesson  to  be  deduced  from  our  Saviour's 
withdrawing  from  the  world  after  His  resurrection.  He 
showed  His  love  for  men  by  dying  for  them,  and  rising 
again.  He  maintained  His  honour  and  great  glory  by 
retiring  from  them  when  His  merciful  purpose  was 
attained,  that  they  might  seek  Him  if  they  would  find 
Him.  He  ascended  to  His  Father  out  of  our  sight. 
Sinners  would  be  ill  company  for  the  exalted  King  of 
Saints.  When  we  have  been  duly  prepared  to  see  Him, 
we  shall  be  given  to  approach  Him. 

In  heaven,  love  will  absorb  fear ;  but  in  this  world, 
fear  and  love  must  go  together.  No  one  can  love  God 
aright  without  fearing  Him;  though  many  fear  Him, 
and  yet  do  not  love  Him.  Self-confident  men,  who  do 
not  know  their  own  hearts,  or  the  reasons  they  have  for 
being  dissatisfied  with  themselves,  do  not  fear  God,  and 
they  think  this  bold  freedom  is  to  love  Him.  Deliberate 
sinners  fear  but  cannot  love   Him.     But   devotion  to 


304  Christian  Reverence. 

Him  consists  in  love  and  fear,  as  we  may  understand 
from  our  ordinary  attachment  to  each  other.  No  one 
really  loves  another,  who  does  not  feel  a  certain  reverence 
towards  him.  When  friends  transgress  this  sobriety  of 
affection,  they  may  indeed  continue  associates  for  a  time, 
but  they  have  broken  the  bond  of  union.  It  is  mutual 
respect  which  makes  friendship  lasting.  So  again,  in 
the  feelings  of  inferiors  towards  superiors.  Fear  must 
go  before  love.  Till  he  who  has  authority  shows  he  has 
it  and  can  use  it,  his  forbearance  will  not  be  valued 
duly;  his  kindness  will  look  like  weakness.  We  learn 
to  contemn  what  we  do  not  fearj  and  we  cannot  love 
what  we  contemn.  So  in  religion  also.  We  cannot 
understand  Christ^s  mercies  till  we  understand  His 
power,  His  glory.  His  unspeakable  holiness,  and  our 
demerits;  that  is,  until  we  first  fear  Him.  Not  that 
fear  comes  first,  and  then  love ;  for  the  most  part  they 
will  proceed  together.  Fear  is  allayed  by  the  love  of 
Him,  and  our  love  sobered  by  our  fear  of  Him.  Thus 
He  draws  us  on  with  encouraging  voice  amid  the  terrors 
of  His  threatenings.  As  in  the  young  ruler's  case.  He 
loves  us,  yet  speaks  harshly  to  us  that  we  may  learn  to 
cherish  mixed  feelings  towards  Him.  He  hides  Him- 
self from  us,  and  yet  calls  us  on,  that  we  may  hear  His 
voice  as  Samuel  did,  and,  believing,  approach  Him  with 
trembling.  This  may  seem  strange  to  those  who  do  not 
study  the  Scriptures,  and  to  those  who  do  not  know 
what  it  is  earnestly  to  seek  after  God.  But  in  propor- 
tion as  the  state  of  mind  is  strange,  so  is  there  in  it, 
therefore,  untold  and  sm-passing  pleasure  to  those  who 


christian  Reverence.  305 

partake  it.  The  bitter  and  the  sweet,  strangely  tem- 
pered, thus  leave  upon  the  mind  the  lasting  taste  of 
Divine  truth,  and  satisfy  it;  not  so  harsh  as  to  be 
loathed;  nor  of  that  insipid  sweetness  which  attends 
enthusiastic  feelings,  and  is  wearisome  when  it  becomes 
familiar.  Such  is  the  feeling  of  conscience  too,  God's 
original  gift ;  how  painful !  yet  who  would  lose  it  ?  "I 
opened  my  mouth  and  panted,  for  I  longed  for  Thy 
commandments '.''  This  is  David's  account  of  it.  Eze- 
kiel  describes  something  of  the  same  feeling  when  the 
Spirit  lifted  him  up  and  took  him  away,  "  and  he  went 
in  bitterness,  in  the  heat  of  his  spirit,''  "  the  hand  of  the 
Lord"  being  "  strong  upon  him*." 

Now  how  does  this  apply  to  us  here  assembled  ? 
Are  we  in  danger  of  speaking  or  thinking  of  Christ 
irreverently  ?  I  do  not  think  we  are  in  any  immediate 
danger  of  deliberate  profaneness ;  but  we  are  in  great 
danger  of  this,  viz.  first,  of  allowing  ourselves  to  appear 
profane,  and  secondly,  of  gradually  becoming  irreve- 
rent, while  we  are  pretending  to  be  so.  Men  do  not 
begin  by  intending  to  dishonour  God;  but  they  are 
afraid  of  the  ridicule  of  others :  they  are  ashamed  of 
appearing  religious ;  and  thus  are  led  to  pretend  that 
they  are  worse  than  they  really  are.  They  say  things 
which  they  do  not  mean ;  and,  by  a  miserable  weakness, 
allow  actions  and  habits  to  be  imputed  to  them  which 
they  dare  not  really  indulge  in.  Hence,  they  afiect  a 
liberty  of  speech  which  only  befits  the  companions  of 
evil  spirits.     They  take  God's  name  in  vain,  to  show 

'  Ps.  cxix.  131.  '  Ezek.  iii.  14. 

[I] 


jo6  Christian  Reverence. 

that  they  can  do  what  devils  do,  and  they  invoke  the 
evil  spirit,  or  speak  familiarly  of  all  that  pertains  to 
him,  and  deal  about  curses  wantonly,  as  though  they 
were  not  fire-brands,  -  as  if  acknowledging-  the  Author 
of  Evil  to  be  their  great  master  and  lord.  Yes  !  he  is  a 
master  who  allows  himself  to  be  served  without  trem- 
bling. It  is  his  very  art  to  lead  men  to  be  at  ease  with 
him,  to  think  lightly  of  him,  and  to  trifle  with  him. 
He  will  submit  to  their  ridicule,  take  (as  it  were)  their 
blows,  and  pretend  to  be  their  slave,  that  he  may  en- 
snare them.  He  has  no  dignity  to  maintain,  and  he 
waits  his  time  when  his  malice  shall  be  gratified.  So  it 
has  ever  been  all  over  the  earth.  Among  all  nations  it 
has  been  his  aim  to  make  men  laugh  at  him ;  going  to 
and  fro  upon  the  earth,  and  walking  up  and  down  in 
it,  hearing  and  rejoicing  in  that  light  perpetual  talk 
about  him'  which  is  his  worship. 

Now,  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  all  this  careless 
language  can  be  continued  without  its  affecting  a  man's 
heart  at  last ;  and  this  is  the  second  danger  I  spoke  of. 
Through  a  false  shame,  we  disown  religion  with  our  lips, 
and  next  our  words  affect  our  thoughts.  Men  at  last 
become  the  cold,  indifferent,  profane  characters  they 
professed  themselves  to  be.  They  think  contemptuously 
of  God^s  Ministers,  Sacraments,  and  Worship;  they 
slight  His  Word,  rarely  looking  into  it,  and  never  study- 
ing it.  They  undervalue  all  religious  profession,  and 
judging  of  others  by  themselves,  impute  the  conscientious 
conduct  they  witness  to  bad  motives.  Thus  they  are  in 
heart  infidels ;  though  they  may  not  formally  be  such, 
and  may  attempt  to  disguise  their  own  unbelief  under 


Christian  Reverence.  307 

pretence  of  objecting  to  one  or  other  of  the  doctrines  or 
ordinances  of  religion.  And  should  a  time  of  tempt- 
ation come,  when  it  would  be  safe  to  show  themselves 
as  they  really  are,  they  will  (almost  unawares)  throw  off 
their  profession  of  Christianity,  and  join  themselves  to 
the  scoffing  world. 

And  how  must  Christians,  on  the  other  hand,  treat 
such  heartless  men?  They  have  our  Lord^s  example 
to  imitate.  Not  that  they  dare  precisely  follow  the  con- 
duct of  Him  who  had  no  sin.  They  dare  not  assume  to 
themselves  any  honour  on  their  own  account ;  and  they 
are  bound,  especially  if  they  are  His  Ministers,  to 
humble  themselves  as  the  Apostles  did,  and  "  going  out 
to  the  highways  and  hedges  (as  it  were)  compel '  "  men 
to  be  saved.  Yet,  while  they  use  greater  earnestness  of 
entreaty  than  their  Lord,  they  must  not  forget  His 
dignity  the  while,  who  sends  them.  He  manifested 
His  love  towards  us,  "  in  deed  and  in  truth,''^  and  we. 
His  Ministers,  declare  it  in  word ;  yet  for  the  very 
reason  that  it  is  so  abundant,  we  must  in  very  gratitude 
learn  reverence  towards  Him.  We  must  not  take  ad- 
v^antage  (so  to  say)  of  His  goodness ;  or  misuse  the 
powers  committed  to  us.  Never  must  we  solicitously 
press  the  truth  upon  those  who  do  not  profit  by  what 
they  already  possess.  It  dishonours  Christ,  while  it  does 
the  scorner  harm,  not  good.  It  is  casting  pearls  before 
swine.  We  must  wait  for  all  opportunities  of  being 
useful  to  men,  but  beware  of  attempting  too  much  at 
once.      We  must  impart    the    Scripture   doctrines,   in 

'  Luke  xiv.  23.     . 


3o8  Christian  Reveroue. 

measure  and  season,  as  they  can  bear  them ;  not  being 
eag-er  to  recount  them  all,  rather,  hiding  them  from  the 
world.  Seldom  must  we  engage  in  controversy  or  dis- 
pute ;  for  it  lowers  the  sacred  truths  to  make  them  a 
subject  for  ordinary  debate.  Common  propriety  sug- 
gests rules  like  these  at  once.  Who  would  speak  freely 
about  some  revered  friend  in  the  presence  of  those  who 
did  not  value  him  ?  or  who  would  think  he  could  with  a 
few  words  overcome  their  indifference  towards  him  r  or 
who  would  hastily  dispute  about  him  when  his  hearers 
had  no  desire  to  be  made  love  him  ? 

Rather,  shunning  all  intemperate  words,  let  us  show 
our  light  before  men  by  our  works.  Here  we  must  be 
safe.  In  doing  justice,  showing  mercy,  speaking  the 
truth,  resisting  sin,  obeying  the  Church, — in  thus  glori- 
fying God,  there  can  be  no  irreverence.  And,  above 
all,  let  us  look  at  home,  check  all  bad  thoughts,  pre- 
sumptuous imaginings,  vain  desires,  discontented  mur- 
murings,  self-complacent  reflections,  and  so  in  our 
hearts  ever  honour  Him  in  secret,  whom  we  reverence  by 
open  profession. 

May  God  guide  us  in  a  dangerous  world ;  and  deliver 
us  from  evil.  And  may  He  rouse  to  serious  thought,  by 
the  power  of  His  Spirit,  all  who  are  living  in  profanenesa 
or  unconcern ! 


SERMON    XXIV. 
%%t  EeU'ffion  of  ttje   3Dap* 

■'  Let  us  have  grace,  whereby  we  may  serve  God  acceptably  with  reverenci 
and  godly  fear.     For  our  God  is  a  consuming  fire." — Heb.  xii.  28,  29. 

TN  every  age  of  Christianity,  since  it  was  first  preached, 
-^  there  has  been  what  may  be  called  a  religion  of  the 
world,  which  so  far  imitates  the  one  true  religion,  as  to 
deceive  the  unstable  and  unwary.  The  world  does  not 
oppose  religion  as  suck.  I  may  say,  it  never  has 
opposed  it.  In  particular,  it  has,  in  all  ages,  acknow- 
ledged in  one  sense  or  other  the  Gospel  of  Christ, 
fastened  on  one  or  other  of  its  characteristics,  and  pro- 
fessed to  embody  this  in  its  practice;  while  by  neglecting 
the  other  parts  of  the  holy  doctrine,  it  has,  in  fact, 
distorted  and  corrupted  even  that  portion  of  it  which  it 
has  exclusively  put  forward,  and  so  has  contrived  to 
explain  away  the  whole ; — for  he  who  cultivates  only 
one  precept  of  the  Gospel  to  the  exclusion  of  the  rest, 
in  reality  attends  to  no  part  at  all.  Our  duties  halance 
each  other;  and  though  we  are  too  sinful  to  perform 
them  all  perfectly,  yet  we  may  in  some  measure  be  per- 
forming' them  all,  and  preserving  the  balance  on  the 


3IO  The  Religion  of  the  Day. 

whole;  whereas,  to  give  ourselves  only  to  this  or  that 
commandment,  is  to  incline  our  minds  in  a  wrong 
direction,  and  at  length  to  pull  them  down  to  the  earth, 
which  is  the  aim  of  our  adversary,  the  Devil, 

It  is  his  aim  to  break  our  strength ;  to  force  us  down 
to  the  earth, — to  bind  us  there.  Tlie  world  is  his 
instrument  for  this  purpose ;  but  he  is  too  wise  to  set  it 
in  open  opposition  to  the  Word  of  God.  No  !  he  affects 
to  be  a  prophet  like  the  prophets  of  God.  He  calls  his 
servants  also  prophets ;  and  they  mix  with  the  scattered 
remnant  of  the  true  Church,  with  the  solitary  Micaiahs 
who  are  left  upon  the  earth,  and  speak  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord.  And  in  one  sense  they  speak  the  truth ;  but 
it  is  not  the  whole  truth ;  and  we  know,  even  from  the 
common  experience  of  life,  that  half  the  truth  is  often 
the  most  gross  and  mischievous  of  falsehoods. 

Even  in  the  first  age  of  the  Church,  while  persecution 
still  raged,  he  set  up  a  counter  religion  among  the  phi- 
losophers of  the  day,  partly  like  Christianity,  but  in 
truth  a  bitter  foe  to  it ;  and  it  deceived  and  made  ship- 
wreck of  the  faith  of  those  who  had  not  the  love  of  God 
in  their  hearts. 

Time  went  on,  and  he  devised  a  second  idol  of  the 
true  Christ,  and  it  remained  in  the  temple  of  God  for 
many  a  year.  The  age  was  rude  and  fierce.  Satan  took 
the  darker  side  of  the  Gospel :  its  awful  mysteriousness, 
its  fearful  glory,  its  sovereign  inflexible  justice;  and 
here  his  picture  of  the  truth  ended,  "  God  is  a  consum- 
ing fire;''  so  declares  the  text,  and  we  know  it.  But 
we  know  more,  viz.  that  God  is  love  also;  but  Satan 
did  not  add  this  to  his  religion,  which  became  one  of 


The  Religion  of  the  Day.  3 1 1 

fear.  The  religion  of  the  world  was  then  a  fearful  re- 
ligion. Superstitions  abounded,  and  cruelties.  The 
noble  firmness,  the  graceful  austerity  of  the  true  Chris- 
tian were  superseded  by  forbidding  spectres,  harsh  of  eye, 
and  haughty  of  brow ;  and  these  were  the  patterns  or 
the  tyrants  of  a  beguiled  people. 

What  is  Satan's  device  in  this  day  ?  a  far  different 
one  ',  but  perhaps  a  more  pernicious.  I  will  attempt  to 
expose  it,  or  rather  to  suggest  some  remarks  towards 
its  exposure,  by  those  who  think  it  worth  while  to 
attempt  it ;  for  the  subject  is  too  great  and  too  difficult 
for  an  occasion  such  as  the  present,  and,  after  all,  no  one 
can  detect  falsehood  for  another ; — every  man  must  do  it 
for  himself ;  we  can  but  help  each  other. 

What  is  the  world^s  religion  now  ?  It  hap  taken  the 
brighter  side  of  the  Gospel, — its  tidings  of  comfort,  its 
precepts  of  love ;  all  darker,  deeper  views  of  man's  con- 
dition and  prospects  being  comparatively  forgotten. 
This  is  the  religion  natural  to  a  civilized  age,  and  well 
has  Satan  dressed  and  completed  it  into  an  idol  of  the 
Truth.  As  the  reason  is  cultivated,  the  taste  formed, 
the  affections  and  sentiments  refined,  a  general  decency 
and  grace  will  of  course  spread  over  the  face  of  society, 
quite  independently  of  the  influence  of  Revelation.  That 
beauty  and  delicacy  of  thought,  which  is  so  attractive  in 
books,  then  extends  to  the  conduct  of  life,  to  all  we 
have,  all  we  do,  all  we  are.  Our  manners  are  courteous  j 
we  avoid  giving  pain  or  offence ;  our  words  become  cor- 
rect; our  relative  duties  are  carefully  performed.  Our 
sense  of  propriety  shows  itself  even  in  our  domestic 
arrangements,  in  the  embellishments  of  our  houses,  in 


312  TJie  Religion  of  the  Day. 

our  amusements,  and  so  also  in  our  religious  profession. 
Vice  now  becomes  unseemly  and  hideous  to  the  ima- 
gination, or,  as  it  is  sometimes  familiarly  said,  "  out  of 
taste."  Thus  elegance  is  gradually  made  the  test  and 
standard  of  virtue,  which  is  no  longer  thought  to  possess 
an  intrinsic  claim  on  our  hearts,  or  to  exist,  further  than 
it  leads  to  the  quiet  and  comfort  of  others.  Conscience 
is  no  longer  recognized  as  an  independent  arbiter  of 
actions,  its  authority  is  explained  away ;  partly  it  is 
superseded  in  the  minds  of  men  by  the  so-called  moral 
sense,  which  is  regarded  merely  as  the  love  of  the  beau- 
tiful ;  partly  by  the  rule  of  expediency,  which  is  forth- 
with substituted  for  it  in  the  details  of  conduct.  Now 
conscience  is  a  stern,  gloomy  principle;  it  tells  us  of 
guilt  and  of  prospective  punishment.  Accordingly, 
when  its  terrors  disappear,  then  disappear  also,  in  the 
creed  of  the  day,  those  fearful  images  of  Divine  wrath 
with  which  the  Scriptures  abound.  They  are  explained 
away.  Every  thing  is  bright  and  cheerful.  Religion 
is  pleasant  and  easy;  benevolence  is  the  chief  virtue; 
intolerance,  bigotry,  excess  of  zeal,  are  the  first  of  sins. 
Austerity  is  an  absurdity ; — even  firmness  is  looked  on 
with  an  unfriendly,  suspicious  eye.  On  the  other  hand, 
all  open  profligacy  is  discountenanced ;  drunkenness  is 
accounted  a  disgrace ;  cursing  and  swearing  are  vulgari- 
ties. Moreover,  to  a  cultivated  mind,  which  recreates 
itself  in  the  varieties  of  literature  and  knowledge,  and 
is  interested  in  the  ever-accumulating  discoveries  of 
science,  and  the  ever-fresh  accessions  of  information, 
political  or  otherwise,  from  foreign  countries,  religion 
will  commonly  seem  to  be  dull,  from  want  of  novelty. 


The  Religion  of  the  Day,  313 

Hence  excitements  are  eagerly  soug-ht  out  and  rewarded. 
New  objects  in  religion,  new  systems  and  plans,  new 
doctrines,  new  preachers,  are  necessary  to  satisfy  that 
craving  which  the  so-called  spread  of  knowledge  has 
created.  The  mind  becomes  morbidly  sensitive  and 
fastidious ;  dissatislied  with  things  as  they  are,  desirous 
of  a  change  as  such,  as  if  alteration  must  of  itself  be  a 
relief. 

Now  I  would  have  you  put  Christianity  for  an  instant 
out  of  your  thoughts ;  and  consider  whether  such  a  state 
of  refinement  as  I  have  attempted  to  describe,  is  not 
that  to  which  men  might  be  .brought,  quite  independent 
of  religion,  by  the  mere  influence  of  education  and 
civilization ;  and  then  again,  whether,  nevertheless,  this 
mere  refinement  of  mind  is  not  more  or  less  all  that  is 
called  religion  at  this  day.  In  other  words,  is  it  not 
the  case,  that  Satan  has  so  composed  and  dressed  out 
what  is  the  mere  natural  produce  of  the  human  heart 
under  certain  circumstances,  as  to  serve  his  purposes  as 
the  counterfeit  of  the  Truth  ?  I  do  not  at  all  deny  that 
this  spirit  of  the  world  uses  words,  and  makes  pro- 
fessions, which  it  would  not  adopt  except  for  the  sug- 
gestions of  Scripture;  nor  do  I  deny  that  it  takes  a 
general  colouring  from  Christianity,  so  as  really  to  be 
modified  by  it,  nay,  in  a  measure  enlightened  and  ex- 
alted by  it.  Again,  I  fully  grant  that  many  persons  in 
whom  this  bad  spirit  shows  itself,  are  but  partially 
infected  by  it,  and  at  bottom,  good  Christians,  though 
imperfect.  Still,  after  all,  here  is  an  existing  teaching, 
only  partially  evangelical,  built  upon  worldly  principle, 
yet  pretending  to  be  the   Gospel,  dropping  one  whole 


314  The  Religion  of  t fie  Day. 

side  of  the  Gospel,  its  austere  character,  and  considering 
it  enough  to  be  benevolent,  courteous,  candid,  correct  in 
conduct,  delicate, — though  it  includes  no  true  fear  of 
God,  no  fervent  zeal  for  His  honour,  no  deep  hatred  of  sin, 
no  horror  at  the  sight  of  sinners,  no  indignation  and 
compassion  at  the  blasphemies  of  heretics,  no  jealous 
adherence  to  doctrinal  truth,  no  especial  sensitiveness 
about  the  particular  means  of  gaining  ends,  provided 
the  ends  be  good,  no  loyalty  to  the  Holy  Apostolic 
Church,  of  which  the  Creed  speaks,  no  sense  of  the 
authority  of  religion  as  external  to  the  mind :  in  a 
word,  no  seriousness, — and  therefore  is  neither  hot  nor 
cold,  but  (in  Scripture  language)  lukewarm.  Thus  the 
present  age  is  the  very  contrary  to  what  are  commonly 
called  the  dark  ages ;  and  together  with  the  faults  of 
those  ages  we  have  lost  their  virtues.  I  say  their  vir- 
tues ;  for  even  the  errors  then  prevalent,  a  persecuting 
spirit,  for  instance,  fear  of  religious  inquiry,  bigotry, 
these  were,  after  all,  but  perversions  and  excesses  of 
real  virtues,  such  as  zeal  and  reverence ;  and  we,  instead 
of  limiting  and  purifying  them,  have  taken  them  away 
root  and  branch.  Why?  because  we  have  not  acted 
from  a  love  of  the  Truth,  but  from  the  influence  of  the 
Age.  The  old  generation  has  passed,  and  its  character 
with  it ;  a  new  order  of  things  has  arisen.  Human 
society  has  a  new  framework,  and  fosters  and  developes 
a  new  character  of  mind ;  and  this  new  character  is 
made  by  the  enemy  of  our  souls,  to  resemble  the  Chris, 
tian's  obedience  as  near  as  it  may,  its  likeness  all  the 
time  being  but  accidental.  Meanwhile,  the  Holy 
Church  of  God,  as  from  the  beginning,  continues  her 


The  Religion  of  the  Day.  315 

course  heavenward ;  despised  by  the  world,  yet  influ- 
encing  it,  partly  correcting  it,  partly  restraining  it,  and 
in  some  happy  cases  reclaiming  its  victims,  and  fixing 
them  firmly  and  for  ever  within  the  lines  of  the  faithful 
host  militant  here  on  earth,  which  journeys  towards  the 
City  of  the  Great  King.  God  give  us  grace  to  search 
our  hearts,  lest  we  be  blinded  by  the  deceitfulness  of 
sin !  lest  we  serve  Satan  transformed  into  an  Angel  of 
light,  while  we  think  we  are  pursuing  true  knowledge ; 
lest,  over-looking  and  ill-treating  the  elect  of  Christ 
here,  we  have  to  ask  that  awful  question  at  the  last  day, 
while  the  truth  is  bursting  upon  us,  "  Lord,  when  saw 
we  Thee  a  stranger  and  a  prisoner?''  when  saw  we  Thy 
sacred  Word  and  Servants  despised  and  oppressed, 
*'  and  did  not  minister  unto  Thee '  ?  " 

Nothing  shows  more  strikingly  the  power  of  the 
world's  religion,  as  now  described,  than  to  consider  the 
very  different  classes  of  men  whom  it  influences.  It  fnll 
be  found  to  extend  its  sway  and  its  teaching  both  over 
the  professedly  religious  and  the  irreligious. 

1.  Many  religious  men,  rightly  or  not,  have  long 
been  expecting  a  millennium  of  purity  and  peace  for  the 
Church.  I  will  not  say,  whether  or  not  with  reason,  for 
good  men  may  well  difier  on  such  a  subject.  But,  any 
how,  in  the  case  of  those  who  have  expected  it,  it  has 
become  a  temptation  to  take  up  and  recognize  the  world's 
religion  as  I  have  already  delineated  it.  They  have  more 
or  less  identified  their  vision  of  Christ's  kingdom  with 
the  elegance  and  refinement  of  mere  human  civilization ; 

'   Matt.  XXV.  44. 


3 1 6  The  Religion  of  the  Day. 

and  have  hailed  every  evidence  of  improved  decency, 
every  wholesome  civil  regulation,  every  beneficent  and 
enlightened  act  of  state  policy,  as  signs  of  their  coming 
Lord.  Bent  upon  achieving  their  object,  an  extensive 
and  glorious  diffusion  and  profession  of  the  Gospel,  they 
have  been  little  solicitous  about  the  means  employed. 
They  have  countenanced  and  acted  with  men  who 
openly  professed  unchristian  principles.  They  have 
accepted  and  defended  what  they  considered  to  be  refor- 
mations and  ameliorations  of  the  existing  state  of  things, 
though  injustice  must  be  perpetrated  in  order  to  effect 
them,  or  long  cherished  rules  of  conduct,  indifferent 
perhaps  in  their  origin  but  consecrated  by  long  usage, 
must  be  violated.  They  have  sacrificed  Truth  to  ex- 
pedience. They  have  strangely  imagined  that  bad  men 
are  to  be  the  immediate  instruments  of  the  approaching 
advent  of  Christ ;  and  (like  the  deluded  Jews  not  many 
years  since  in  a  foreign  country)  they  have  taken,  if  not 
for  their.  Messiah  (as  the  Jews  did),  at  least  for  their 
Elijah,  their  reforming  Baptist,  the  Herald  of  the  Christ, 
children  of  this  world,  and  sons  of  Belial,  on  whom  the 
anathema  of  the  Apostle  lies  from  the  beginning,  de- 
claring, ^'  If  any  rnan  love  not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  let 
him  be  Anathema  Maran-atha  *." 

2.  On  the  other  hand,  the  form  of  doctrine,  which  1 
have  called  the  religion  of  the  day,  is  especially  adapted  to 
please  men  of  sceptical  minds,  the  opposite  extreme  to 
those  just  mentioned,  who  have  never  been  careful  to 
obey  their  conscience,  who  cultivate  the  intellect  without 

»  1  Cor.  xri.  22. 


TJte  Religion  of  the  Day.  317 

disciplining  the  heart,  and  who  allow  themselves  to 
speculate  freely  about  what  religion  ought  to  he,  without 
g'oing  to  Scripture  to  discover  what  it  really  is.  Some 
persons  of  this  character  almost  consider  religion  itself 
to  be  an  obstacle  in  the  advance  of  our  social  and  po- 
litical well-being.  But  they  know  human  nature  re- 
quires it;  therefore  they  select  the  most  rational  form 
of  religion  (so  they  call  it)  which  they  can  find. 
Others  are  far  more  seriously  disposed,  but  are  cor- 
rupted by  bad  example  or  other  cause.  But  they  all 
discard  (what  they  call)  gloomy  views  of  religion;  they 
all  trust  themselves  more  than  God^s  word,  and  thus 
may  be  classed  together ;  and  are  ready  to  embrace  the 
pleasant  consoling  religion  natural  to  a  polished  age. 
They  lay  much  stress  on  works  on  Natural  Theology, 
and  think  that  all  religion  is  contained  in  these ; 
whereas,  in  truth,  there  is  no  greater  fallacy  than  to 
suppose  such  works  to  be  in  themselves  in  any  true  sense 
religious  at  all.  Religion,  it  has  been  well  observed, 
is  something  relative  to  us  ;  a  system  of  commands  and 
promises  from  God  towards  us.  But  how  are  we  con- 
cerned with  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars  ?  or  with  the  laws 
of  the  universe  ?  how  will  they  teach  us  our  duty  ?  how 
will  they  speak  to  sinners  ?  They  do  not  speak  to 
sinners  at  all.  They  were  created  before  Adam  fell. 
They  "declare  the  glory  of  God,'^  but  not  His  will. 
They  are  all  perfect,  all  harmonious ;  but  that  bright- 
ness and  excellence  which  they  exhibit  in  their  own 
creation,  and  the  Divine  benevolence  therein  seen,  are 
of  little  moment  to  fallen  man.  We  see  nothing  there 
of  God^s  wrath,  of  which  the  conscience  of  a  sinner 


3 1 8  The  Religion  of  the  Day. 

loudly  speaks.  So  that  there  cannot  be  a  more  danger- 
ous (though  a  common)  device  of  Satan,  than  to  carry 
us  off  from  our  own  secret  thoughts,  to  make  us  forget 
our  own  hearts,  which  tell  us  of  a  God  of  justice  and 
holiness,  and  to  fix  our  attention  merely  on  the  God 
who  made  the  heavens ;  who  is  our  God  indeed,  but  not 
God  as  manifested  to  us  sinners,  but  as  He  shines  forth 
to  His  Angels,  and  to  His  elect  hereafter. 

When  a  man  has  so  far  deceived  himself  as  to  trust 
his  destiny  to  what  the  heavens  tell  him  of  it,  instead  of 
consulting  and  obeying  his  conscience,  what  is  the  con- 
sequence ?  that  at  once  he  misinterprets  and  perverts 
the  whole  tenor  of  Scripture.  It  cannot  be  denied  that, 
pleasant  as  religious  observances  are  declared  in  Scrip- 
ture to  be  to  the  holy,  yet  to  men  in  general  they  are 
said  to  be  difficult  and  distasteful ;  to  all  men  naturally 
impossible,  and  by  few  fulfilled  even  with  the  assistances 
of  grace,  on  account  of  their  wilful  corruption.  Religion 
is  pronounced  to  be  against  nature,  to  be  against  our  origi- 
nal will,  to  require  God's  aid  to  make  us  love  and  obey  it, 
and  to  be  commonly  refused  and  opposed  in  spite  of  that 
aid.  We  are  expressly  told,  that  "  strait  is  the  gate  and 
narrow  the  way  that  leads  to  life,  and  few  there  be  that 
find  it  •''  that  we  must  "  strive  "  or  struggle  ''  to  enter 
in  at  the  strait  gate,"  for  that  "  many  shall  seek  to  enter 
in,*'  but  that  is  not  enough,  they  merely  seek  and  there- 
fore do  not  find ;  and  further,  that  they  who  do  not  obtain 
everlasting  life,  "shall  go  into  everlasting  punishment  ^." 
This  is  the  dark  side  of  religion ;  and  the  men  I  have 

'  Matt.  rii.  14.  Luke  xiii.  24.         Matt.  xxv.  46. 


The  Religion  of  the  Day.  319 

beeu  describing  cannot  bear  to  think  of  it.  They 
shrink  from  it  as  too  terrible.  They  easily  get  them- 
selves to  believe  that  those  strong  declarations  of  Scrip- 
ture do  not  belong  to  the  present  day,  or  that  they  are 
figurative.  They  have  no  language  within  their  heart 
responding  to  them.  Conscience  has  been  silenced. 
The  only  information  they  have  received  concerning 
God  has  been  from  Natural  Theology,  and  that  speaks 
only  of  benevolence  and  harmony ;  so  they  will  not 
credit  the  plain  word  of  Scripture.  They  seize  on  such 
parts  of  Scripture  as  seem  to  countenance  their  own 
opinions;  they  insist  on  its  being  commanded  us  to 
"  rejoice  evermore  •"  and  they  argue  that  it  is  our  duty 
to  solace  ourselves  here  (in  moderation,  of  course)  with 
the  goods  of  this  Kfe, — that  we  have  only  to  be  thankful 
while  we  use  them, — that  we  need  not  alarm  ourselves, — 
that  God  is  a  merciful  God, — that  amendment  is  quite 
suflBcient  to  atone  for  our  offences, — that  though  we  have 
been  irregular  in  our  youth,  yet  that  is  a  thing  gone  by, 
— that  we  forget  it,  and  therefore  God  forgets  it, — that 
the  world  is,  on  the  whole,  very  well  disposed  towards 
religion, — that  we  should  avoid  enthusiasm, — that  we 
should  not  be  over  serious, — that  we  should  have  large 
views  on  the  subject  of  human  nature, — and  that  we 
shovdd  love  all  men.  This  indeed  is  the  creed  of  shallow 
men,  in  every  age,  who  reason  a  little,  and  feel  not  at 
all,  and  who  think  themselves  enlightened  and  philo- 
sophical. Part  of  what  they  say  is  false,  part  is  true, 
but  misapplied;  but  why  I  have  noticed  it  here,  is  to 
show  how  exactly  it  fits  in  with  what  I  have  already 
described  as  the  peculiar  religion  of  a  civilized  age ;  it 


320  The  Religion  of  the  Day. 

fits  in  with  it  equally  well  as  does  that  of  the  (so  called) 
religious  world,  which  is  the  opposite  extreme. 

One  further  remark  I  will  make  about  these  profes- 
sedly rational  Christians  ;  who,  be  it  observed,  often  go 
on  to  deny  the  mysteries  of  the  Gospel.  Let  us  take  the 
text : — "  Our  God  is  a  consuming  fire."  Now  supposing 
these  persons  fell  upon  these  words,  or  heard  them  urged 
as  an  argument  against  their  own  doctrine  of  the  un- 
mixed satisfactory  character  of  our  prospects  in  the 
world  to  come,  and  supposing  they  did  not  know  what 
part  of  the  Bible  they  occurred  in,  what  would  they 
say  ?  Doubtless  they  would  confidently  say  that  they 
applied  only  to  the  Jews  and  not  to  Christians ;  that 
they  only  described  the  Divine  Author  of  the  Mosaic 
Law ' ;  that  God  formerly  spoke  in  terrors  to  the  Jews, 
because  they  were  a  gross  and  brutish  people,  but  that 
civilization  has  made  us  quite  other  men ;  that  our 
reason,  not  ouv  fears,  is  appealed  to,  and  that  the  Gospel 
is  love.  And  yet,  in  spite  of  all  this  argument,  the  text 
occurs  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  written  by  an 
Apostle  of  Christ. 

I  shall  conclude  with  stating  more  fully  what  I  mean 
by  the  dark  side  of  religion ;  and  what  judgment  ought 
to  be  passed  on  the  superstitious  and  gloomy. 

Here  I  will  not  shrink  from  uttering  my  firm  convic- 
tion, that  it  would  be  a  gain  to  this  country,  were  it 
vastly  more  supersticious,  more  bigoted,  more  gloomy, 
more  fierce  in  its  religion,  than  at  present  it  shows  itself 
to  be.     Not,  of  course,  that  I  think  the  tempers  of  mind 

1  Deut.  iv.  24. 


The  Religion  of  the  Day.  3 1 1 

herein  implied  desirablPj  which  would  be  an  evident 
absurdity;  but  I  think  them  infinitely  more  desirable 
and  more  promising-  than  a  heathen  obduracy,  and  a  cold, 
self-sufficient,  self-wise  tranquillity.  Doubtless,  peace 
of  mind,  a  quiet  conscience,  and  a  cheerful  countenance 
are  the  gift  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  sign  of  a  Christian ; 
but  the  same  eflfects  (or,  rather,  what  appear  to  be  the 
same)  may  arise  from  very  different  causes.  Jonah  slept 
in  the  storm, — so  did  our  Blessed  Lord.  The  one  slept 
in  an  evil  security  :  the  Other  in  the  ^'  peace  of  God 
which  passeth  all  understanding.^''  The  two  states  can- 
not be  confounded  together,  they  are  perfectly  distinct ; 
and  as  distinct  is  the  calm  of  the  man  of  the  world  from 
that  of  the  Christian.  Now  take  tlie  case  of  the  sailors 
on  board  the  vessel ;  they  cried  to  Jonah,  "  What  mean- 
est thou,  O  sleeper  ?  "- — so  the  Apostles  said  to  Christ ; 
'^  Lord,  we  perish  " .  This  is  the  case  of  the  superstitious; 
they  stand  between  the  false  peace  of  Jonah  and  the  true 
peace  of  Christ ;  they  are  better  tlian  the  one,  though 
far  below  the  Other.  Applying  this  to  the  present  re- 
ligion of  the  educated  world,  full  as  it  is  of  security  and 
cheerfulness,  and  decorum,  and  benevolence,  I  observe 
that  these  appearances  may  arise  either  from  a  great  deal 
of  religion,  or  from  the  absence  of  it ;  they  may  be  the 
fruits  of  shallowness  of  mind  and  a  blinded  conscience,  or 
of  that  faith  which  has  peace  with  God  through  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  And  if  this  alternative  be  proposed, 
I  might  leave  it  to  the  common  sense  of  men  to  decide  (if 
they  could  get  themselves  to  think  seriously)  to  which  of 
the  two  the  temper  of  the  age  is  to  be  referred.  For 
myself  I  cannot  doubt,  seeing  what  I  see  of  the  world, 

[I]  Y 


32  2  The  Religiojt  of  the  Day. 

that  it  arises  from  the  sleep  of  Jonah ;  and  it  is  there- 
fore but  a  dream  of  religion,  far  inferior  in  worth  to  the 
well-grounded  alarm  of  the  superstitious,  who  are 
awakened  and  see  their  danger,  though  they  do  not 
attain  so  far  in  faith  as  to  embrace  the  remedy  of  it. 

Think  of  this,  I  beseech  you,  my  brethren,  and  lay  it 
to  heart,  as  far  as  you  go  with  me,  as  you  will  answer 
for  having  heard  it  at  the  last  day.  I  would  not  willing-ly 
be  harsh ;  but  knowing*  "  that  the  world  lieth  in  wicked- 
ness,'^ I  think  it  highly  probable  that  you,  so  far  as  you 
are  in  it  (as  you  must  be^  and  we  all  must  be  in  our 
degree.),  are,  most  of  you,  partially  infected  with  its 
existing  error,  that  shallowness  of  religion,  which  is  the 
result  of  a  blinded  conscience ;  and,  therefore,  I  speak 
earnestly  to  you.  Believing  in  the  existence  of  a  general 
plague  in  the  land,  I  judge  that  you  probably  have  your 
share  in  the  sufferings,  the  voluntary  sufferings,  which 
it  is  spreading  among  us.  The  fear  of  God  is  the  begin- 
ning of  wisdom ;  till  you  see  Him  to  be  a  consuming 
fire,  and  approach  Him  with  reverence  and  godly  fear, 
as  being  sinners,  you  are  not  even  in  sight  of  the  strait 
gate.  I  do  not  wish  you  to  be  able  to  point  to  any  par- 
ticular time  when  you  renounced  the  world  (as  it  is 
called),  and  were  converted ;  this  is  a  deceit.  Fear  and 
love  must  go  together ;  always  fear,  always  love,  to  your 
dying  day.  Doubtless;— still  you  must  know  what  it 
is  to  sow  in  tears  here,  if  you  would  reap  in  joy  here- 
after. Till  you  know  the  weight  of  your  sins,  and  that 
not  in  mere  imagination,  but  in  practice,  not  so  as 
merely  to  confess  it  in  a  formal  phrase  of  lamentation, 
but  daily  and  in  your  heart  in  secret,  you  cannot  embrace 


The  Religion  of  the  Day  323 

the  offer  of  mercy  held  out  to  you  in  the  Gospel,  through 
the  death  of  Christ.  Till  you  know  what  it  is  to  fear 
with  the  terrified  sailors  or  the  Apostles,  you  cannot 
sleep  with  Christ  at  your  Heavenly  Father's  feet. 
Miserable  as  were  the  superstitions  of  the  dark  ages, 
revolting  as  are  the  tortures  now  in  use  among  the 
heathen  of  the  East,  better,  far  better  is  it,  to  torture 
the  body  all  one's  days,  and  to  make  this  life  a  hell  upon 
earth,  than  to  remain  in  a  brief  tranquillity  here,  till  the 
pit  at  length  opens  under  us,  and  awakens  us  to  an 
eternal  fruitless  consciousness  and  remorse.  Think  of 
Christ's  own  words :  "  What  shall  a  man  give  in  ex- 
change for  his  soul  ? "  Again,  He  says,  "  Fear  Him, 
who  after  He  hath  killed,  hath  power  to  cast  into  hell ; 
yea,  I  say  unto  you,  fear  Him."  Dare  not  to  think  you 
have  got  to  the  bottom  of  your  hearts;  you  do  not  know 
what  evil  lies  there.  How  long  and  earnestly  must  you 
pray,  how  many  years  must  you  pass  in  careful  obedience, 
before  you  have  any  right  to  lay  aside  sorrow,  and  to 
rejoice  in  the  Lord?  In  one  sense,  indeed,  you  may 
take  comfort  from  the  first;  for,  though  you  dare  not 
yet  anticipate  you  are  in  the  number  of  Christ's  true 
elect,  yet  from  the  first  you  know  He  desires  your  sal- 
vation, has  died  for  you,  has  washed  away  your  sins  by 
baptism,  and  will  ever  help  you  ;  and  this  thought  must 
cheer  you  while  you  go  on  to  examine  and  review  your 
lives,  and  to  turn  to  God  in  self-denial.  But,  at  the 
same  time,  you  never  can  be  sure  of  salvation,  while  you 
are  here ;  and  therefore  you  must  always  fear  while  you 
hope.  Your  knowledge  of  your  sins  increases  with  your 
view  of  God's  mercv  in  Christ.     And  this  is  the  true 


324  The  Religion  of  the  Day. 

Christian  state,  and  the  nearest  approach  to  Christ's 
calm  and  placid  sleep  in  tho  tempest; — not  perfect  joy 
and  certainty  in  heaven,  but  a  deep  resignation  to  God's 
will,  a  surrender  of  ourselves,  soul  and  body,  to  Him  j 
hoping  indeed,  that  we  shall  be  saved,  but  fixing  our 
eyes  more  earnestly  on  Him  than  on  ourselves  j  that  is, 
acting  for  His  glory,  seeking  to  please  Him,  devoting 
ourselves  to  Him  in  all  manly  obedience  and  strenuous 
good  works ;  and,  when  we  do  look  within,  thinking  of 
ourselves  with  a  certain  abhorrence  and  contempt  as 
being  sinners,  mortifying  our  flesh,  scourging  our  appe- 
tites, and  composedly  awaiting  that  time  when,  if  we  be 
worthy,  we  shall  be  stripped  of  our  present  selves,  and 
new  made  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 


SERMON  XXV. 
fe>trfpture  a  EecorU  of  !^umait  S>orroto* 

"  There  is  at  Jerusalem  by  the  sheepmarket  a  pool,  which  is  called  in  the 
Hebrew  tongue  Bethesda,  having  five  porches.  In  these  lay  a  great 
multitude  of  impotetit  folk,  of  blind,  halt,  withered,  waiting  for  the 
moving  of  the  water." — ^JoHN  v.  2,  3. 

11/ HAT  a  scene  of  misery  this  pool  of  Bethesda  must 
'  '  have  presented !  of  pain  and  sickness  triumphing 
unto  death !  the  "  blind^  halt,  withered,  and  impotent/' 
persuaded  by  the  hope  of  cure  to  disclose  their  suflPerings 
in  the  eye  of  day  in  one  large  company.  This  pool  was 
endued,  at  certain  times,  with  a  wonderful  virtue  by  the 
descent  of  an  Angel  into  it,  so  that  its  waters  effected 
the  cure  of  the  first  who  stepped  into  it,  whatever  was 
his  disease.  However,  I  shall  not  speak  of  this  won- 
derful pool ;  nor  of  our  Saviour's  miracle,  wrought  there 
upon  the  man  who  had  no  one  to  put  him  in  before  the 
rest,  when  the  water  was  troubled,  and  who  had  been  for 
thirty-eight  years  afflicted  with  his  infirmity.  Without 
entering  into  these  subjects,  let  us  take  the  text  as  it 
stands  in  the  opening  of  the  chapter  which  contains  it, 
and  deduce  a  lesson  from  it. 


326  Scripture  a  Record 

There  lay  about  the  pool  "  a  great  multitude  of  im- 
potent folk,  of  blind,  halt,  and  withered/'  This  is  a 
painful  picture,  such  as  we  do  not  like  to  dwell  upon, — 
a  picture  of  a  chief  kind  of  human  suffering,  bodily 
disease ;  one  which  suggests  to  us  and  typifies  all  other 
suffering, — the  most  obvious  fulfilment  of  that  curse 
which  Adam's  fall  brought  upon  his  descendants.  Now 
it  must  strike  every  one  who  thinks  at  all  about  it,  that 
the  Bible  is  full  of  such  descriptions  of  human  misery. 
We  know  it  also  abounds  in  accounts  of  human  sin ;  but 
not  to  speak  of  these,  it  abounds  in  accounts  of  human 
distress  and  sufferings,  of  our  miserable  condition,  of  the 
vanity,  unprofitableness,  and  trials  of  life.  The  Bible 
begins  with  the  history  of  the  curse  pronounced  on  the 
earth  and  man ;  it  ends  with  the  book  of  Revelation,  a 
portion  of  Scripture  fearfiil  for  its  threats,  and  its  pre- 
diction of  judgments;  and  whether  the  original  curse  on 
Adam  be  now  removed  from  the  world  or  not,  it  is 
certain  that  God's  awful  cui'ses,  foretold  by  St.  John,  are 
on  all  sides  of  us.  Surely,  in  spite  of  the  peculiar 
promises  made  to  the  Church  in  Christ  our  Saviour,  yet 
as  regards  the  world,  the  volume  of  inspiration  is  still  a 
dreary  record,  "  written  within  and  without  with  lamen- 
tations, and  mourning,  and  woe."  And  further,  you  will 
observe  that  it  seems  to  drop  what  might  be  said  in 
favour  of  this  life,  and  enlarges  on  the  unpleasant  side  of 
it.  The  history  passes  quickly  from  the  Garden  of  Eden, 
to  dwell  on  the  sufferings  which  followed,  when  our 
first  parents  were  expelled  thence;  and  though,  in 
matter  of  fact,  there  are  traces  of  paradise  still  left 
among  us,  yet  it  is  evident.  Scripture  says  little  of  them 


of  Human  Sorrow.  327 

in  comparison  of  its  accounts  of  human  misery.  Little 
does  it  say  concerning  the  innocent  pleasures  of  life ;  of 
those  temporal  blessings  which  rest  upon  our  worldly 
occupations,  and  make  them  easy;  of  the  blessings 
which  we  derive  from  "the  sun  and  moon,  and  the 
everlasting  hills/'  from  the  succession  of  the  seasons  and 
the  produce  of  the  earth; — little  about  our  recreations 
and  our  daily  domestic  comforts ; — little  about  the 
ordinary  occasions  of  festivity  and  mirth  which  occur  in 
life,  and  nothing  at  all  about  those  various  other  enjoy- 
ments which  it  would  be  going  too  much  into  detail  to 
mention.  Human  tales  and  poems  are  full  of  pleasant 
sights  and  prospects ;  they  make  things  better  than  they 
are,  and  pourtray  a  sort  of  imaginary  perfection;  but 
Scripture  (I  repeat)  seems  to  abstain  even  from  what 
might  be  said  in  praise  of  human  life  as  it  is.  We  read, 
indeed,  of  the  feast  made  when  Isaac  was  weaned,  of 
Jacob's  marriage,  of  the  domestic  and  religious  festivities 
of  Job's  family;  but  these  are  exceptions  in  the  tenor 
of  the  Scripture  history.  "Vanity  of  vanities,  all  is 
vanity;''  "man  is  born  to  trouble:"  these  are  its 
customary  lessons.  The  text  is  but  a  specimen  of  the 
descriptions  repeated  again  and  again  throughout  Scrip- 
ture of  human  infirmity  and  misery. 

So  much  is  this  the  case,  that  thoughtless  persons 
are  averse  to  the  Scripture  narrative  for  this  very  reason. 
I  do  not  mean  bad  men,  who  speak  hard,  presumptuous 
words  against  the  Bible,  and  in  consequence  expose 
themselves  to  the  wrath  of  God ;  but  I  speak  of  thotight- 
less  persons ;  and  of  these  there  are  many,  who  consider 
the  Bible  a  gloomy  book,  and  on  that  account  seldom 


3^8  Scripture  a  Record 

look  into  it,  eaying-  that  it  makes  them  melancholy.  Ac- 
cordingly, there  have  been  attempts  made  on  the  other 
hand  to  hide  this  austere  character  of  Scripture,  and 
make  it  a  bright  interesting  picture  of  human  life.  Its 
stories  have  before  now  been  profanely  embellished  in 
human  language,  to  suit  the  taste  of  weak  and  cowardly 
minds.  All  this  shows,  that  in  the  common  opinion  of 
mankind,  the  Bible  does  not  take  a  pleasant  sunshine 
view  of  the  world. 

Now  why  have  I  thus  spoken  of  this  general  character 
of  the  sacred  history  ? — in  order  to  countenance  those 
who  complain  of  it  ? — let  it  not  be  imagined ; — far  from 
it.  God  does  nothing  without  some  wise  and  good 
reason,  which  it  becomes  us  devoutly  to  accept  and  use. 
He  has  not  given  us  this  dark  view  of  the  world  without 
a  cause.  In  truth,  this  view  is  the  ultimate  true  view  of 
human  life.  But  this  is  not  all ;  it  is  a  view  which  it 
concerns  us  much  to  know.  It  concerns  us  (I  say)  much 
to  be  told  that  this  world  is,  after  all,  in  spite  of  first 
appearances  and  partial  exceptions,  a  dark  world ;  else 
we  shall  be  obliged  to  learn  it  (and,  sooner  or  later,  we 
must  learn  it)  by  sad  experience;  whereas,  if  we  are  fore- 
warned, we  shall  unlearn  false  notions  of  its  excellence, 
and  be  saved  the  disappointment  which  follows  them. 
And  therefore  it  is  that  Scripture  omits  even  what  might 
be  said  in  praise  of  this  world's  pleasures  j— not  denying 
their  value,  such  as  it  is,  or  forbidding  us  to  use  them 
religiously,  but  knowing  that  we  are  sure  to  find  them 
out  for  om-selves  without  being  told  of  them,  and  that 
our  danger  is  on  the  side,  not  of  undervaluing,  but  of 
overvaluing  them  j  whereas,  by  being  told  of  the  world's 


of  Human  Sorrow.  329 

vanity,  at  first,  we  shall  learn  (what  else  we  should  only 
attain  at  last),  not  indeed  to  be  gloomy  and  discon- 
tented, but  to  bear  a  sober  and  calm  heart  under  a 
smiling  cheerful  countenance.  This  is  one  chief  reason  of 
the  solemn  character  of  the  Scripture  history ;  and  if  we 
keep  it  in  view,  so  far  from  being  offended  and  frightened 
away  by  its  notes  of  sorrow,  because  they  grate  on  the 
ear  at  first,  we  shall  stedfastly  listen  to  them,  and  get 
them  by  heart,  as  a  gracious  gift  from  God  sent  to  us, 
as  a  remedy  for  all  dangerous  overflowing  joy  in  present 
blessings,  in  order  to  save  us  far  greater  pain  (if  we  use 
the  lesson  well),  the  pain  of  actual  disappointment,  such 
as  the  overthrow  of  vainly  cherished  hopes  of  lasting 
good  upon  earth,  will  certainly  occasion. 

Do  but  consider  what  is  the  consequence  of  ignorance 
or  distrust  of  God^s  warning  voice,  and  you  will  see 
clearly  how  merciful  He  is,  and  how  wise  it  is  to  listen 
to  Him.  I  will  not  suppose  a  case  of  gross  sin,  or  of 
open  contempt  for  religion ;  but  let  a  man  have  a 
general  becoming  reverence  for  the  law  and  Church  of 
God,  and  an  unhesitating  faith  in  his  Saviour  Christ, 
yet  suppose  him  so  to  be  taken  with  the  goods  of  this 
Svorld,  as  (without  his  being  aware  of  it)  to  give  his 
heart  to  them.  Let  him  have  many  good  feelings  and 
dispositions;  but  let  him  love  his  earthly  pursuits, 
amusements,  friends,  too  well ; — ^by  which  I  mean,  so 
well  as  to  forget  that  he  is  bound  to  live  in  the  spirit  of 
Abraham's  faith,  who  gave  up  home,  kindred,  possessions, 
all  his  eye  ever  loved,  at  God's  word, — in  the  spirit  of 
St.  Paul's  faith,  who  "  counted  all  things  but  loss  for  the 
excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  his  Lord/' 


330  Scripture  a  Record 

and  to  win  His  favour  "  suffered  the  loss  of  all  things/"' 
How  will  the  world  go  with  a  man  thus  forgetful  of  his 
true  interests?  For  a  while  all  will  be  enjoyment; — ^if 
at  any  time  weariness  comes,  he  will  be  able  to  change 
his  pleasure,  and  the  variety  will  relieve  him.  His 
health  is  good  and  his  spirits  high,  and  easily  master  and 
bear  down  all  the  accidental  troubles  of  life.  So  far  is 
well;  but,  as  years  roll  on,  by  little  and  little  he  will 
discover  that,  after  all,  he  is  not,  as  he  imagined,  pos- 
sessed of  any  real  substantial  good.  He  will  begin  to 
find,  and  be  startled  at  finding,  that  the  things  which 
once  pleased,  please  less  and  less,  or  not  at  all.  He  will 
be  unable  to  recall  those  lively  emotions  in  which  he 
once  indulged ;  and  he  will  wonder  why.  Thus,  by 
degrees,  the  delightful  visions  which  surrounded  him 
will  fade  away,  and  in  their  stead,  melancholy  forms 
will  haunt  him,  such  as  crowded  round  the  pool  of 
Bethesda.  Then  will  be  fulfilled  the  words  of  the  wise 
man.  The  days  will  have  come,  "  when  thou  shalt  say, 
I  have  no  pleasure  in  them ;  the  sun  and  the  light  and 
the  moon  and  the  stars  shall  be  darkened,  and  the 
clouds  return  after  the  rain ;  then  they  who  look  out  of 
the  window  shall  be  darkened,  the  doors  shall  be  shut 
in  the  streets,  all  the  daughters  of  music  shall  be  brought 
low,  fears  shall  be  in  the  way,  and  desire  shall  faiP.^'' 
Then  a  man  will  begin  to  be  restless  and  discontented, 
for  he  does  not  know  how  to  amuse  himself.  Before,  he 
was  cheerful  only  from  the  natural  flow  of  his  spirits, 
and  when  such  cheerfulness  is  lost  with  increasing  yearsj 

'   Eccles.  ui.  1 — 5. 


of  Human  Sorrow.  331 

he  becomes  evil-natured.  He  has  made  no  effort  to 
change  his  heart, — to  raise,  strengthen,  and  purify  his 
faith, — to  subdue  his  bad  passions  and  tempers.  Now 
their  day  is  come ;  they  have  sprung  up  and  begin  to 
domineer.  When  he  was  in  health,  he  thought  about 
his  farm,  or  his  merchandize,  and  lived  to  himself;  he 
laid  out  his  strength  on  the  world,  and  the  world  is 
nothing  to  him,  as  a  worthless  bargain  (so  to  say), 
seeing  it  is  nothing  worth  to  one  who  cannot  take 
pleasure  in  it.  He  had  no  habitual  thought  of  God  in 
the  former  time,  however  he  might  have  a  general 
reverence  for  His  name;  and  now  he  dreads  Him,  or 
(if  the  truth  must  be  said)  even  begins  to  hate  the 
thought  of  Him.  Where  shall  he  look  for  succour  ? 
Perhaps,  moreover,  he  is  a  burden  to  those  around  him ; 
they  care  not  for  him, — he  is  in  their  way.  And  so  he 
will  lie  year  after  year,  by  the  pool  of  Bethesda,  by  the 
waters  of  health,  with  no  one  helping  him ; — unable  to 
advance  himself  towards  a  cure,  in  consequence  of  his 
long  habits  of  sin,  and  others  passing  him  by,  perhaps 
unable  to  help  one  who  obstinately  refuses  to  be  com- 
forted. Thus  he  has  at  length  full  personal,  painful 
experience,  that  this  world  is  really  vanity  or  worse,  and 
all  this  because  he  would  not  believe  it  from  Scripture. 

Now  should  the  above  description  appear  overcharged, 
should  it  be  said  that  it  supposes  a  man  to  be  possessed 
of  more  of  the  pleasures  of  life  than  most  men  have,  and 
of  keener  feelings, — should  it  be  said  that  most  men 
have  little  to  enjoy,  and  that  most  of  those  who  have 
much  go  on  in  an  ordinary  tranquil  way,  and  take  and 
lose  things  without  much  thought,  not  pleased  much  in 


23^  Scripture  a  Record 

their  vigorous  days,  and  not  caring  much  about  the 
change  when  the  world  deserts  them, — then  I  must 
proceed  to  a  more  solemn  consideration  still,  on  which  I 
do  not  like  to  dwell,  but  would  rather  leave  it  for  your 
own  private  reflection  upon  it.  There  is  a  story  in  the 
Gospels  of  a  man  who  was  taken  out  of  this  life  before 
he  had  turned  his  thoughts  heaven-ward,  and  in  another 
world  he  lift  up  his  eyes  being  in  torments.  Be  quite 
sure  that  every  one  of  us,  even  the  poorest  and  the  most 
dull  and  insensible,  is  far  more  attached  to  this  world 
than  he  can  possibly  imagine.  We  get  used  to  the 
things  about  us,  and  forget  they  are  necessary  for  our 
comfort.  Every  one,  when  taken  out  of  this  world, 
would  miss  a  great  deal  that  he  was  used  to  depend  on,  and 
would  in  consequence  be  in  great  discomfort  and  sorrow 
in  his  new  abode,  as  a  stranger  in  an  unknown  place ; 
every  one,  that  is,  who  had  not,  while  on  earth,  made 
God  his  Father  and  Protector, — that  Great  God  who 
alone  will  there  be  found.  We  do  not.  then,  mend  the 
the  matter  at  all  in  supposing  a  man  not  to  find  out  the 
world's  vanity  here ;  for,  even  should  the  world  remain 
his  faithful  friend,  and  please  him  with  its  goods,  to  his 
dying  day,  still  that  world  will  be  burnt  up  at  the  day 
of  his  resurrection ;  and  even  had  he  little  of  its  com- 
forts here,  that  little  he  will  then  miss.  Then  all  men, 
small  and  great,  will  know  it  to  be  vanity,  and  feel  their 
infinite  loss  if  they  have  trusted  it,  when  all  the  dead 
stand  before  God. 

Let  this  suflice  on  the  use  we  must  make  of  the  solemn 
view  which  the  Scripture  takes  of  this  life.  Those  dis- 
closures are  intended  to  save  us  pain,  by  preventing  us 


of  Human  Sorrow.  ^2)^ 

from  enjoying"  the  world  unreservedly ;  that  we  may  use 
not  abusing  it. 

Nor  let  it  seem  as  if  this  view  of  life  must  make  a 
man  melancholy  and  gloomy.  There  are,  it  is  true, 
men  of  ill-constituted  minds^  whom  it  has  driven  out  of 
the  world ;  but,  rightly  understood,  it  has  no  such  ten- 
dency. The  great  rule  of  our  conduct  is  to  take  things 
as  they  come.  He  who  goes  out  of  his  way  as  shrink- 
ing from  the  varieties  of  human  life  which  meet  him,  has 
weak  faith,  or  a  strangely  perverted  conscience, — he 
wants  elevation  of  mind.  The  true  Christian  rejoices  in 
those  earthly  things  which  give  joy,  but  in  such  a  way 
as  not  to  care  for  them  when  they  go.  For  no  blessings 
does  he  care  much,  except  those  which  are  immortal, 
knowing  that  he  shall  receive  all  such  again  in  the  world 
to  come.  But  the  least  and  the  most  fleeting,  he  is  too 
religious  to  contemn,  considering  them  God^s  gift;  and 
the  least  and  most  fleeting,  thus  received,  yield  a  purer 
and  deeper,  though  a  less  tumultuous  joy.  And  if  he  at 
times  refrains,  it  is  lest  he  should  encroach  upon  God's 
bounty,  or  lest  by  a  constant  use  of  it  he  should  forget 
how  to  do  without  it. 

Our  Saviour  gives  us  a  pattern  which  we  are  bound 
to  follow.  He  was  a  far  greater  than  John  the  Baptist, 
yet  He  came,  not  with  St.  John^s  outward  austerity, — 
condemning  the  display  of  strictness  or  gloominess,  that 
we.  His  followers,  might  fast  the  more  in  private,  and 
be  the  more  austere  in  our  secret  hearts.  True  it  is, 
that  such  self-command,  composure,  and  inward  faith, 
are  not  learned  in  a  day ;  but  if  they  were,  why  should 
this  life  be  given  us?     It  is  given  us  as  a  very  pre- 


334  Scripture  a  Record 

paration  time  for  obtaining  them.  Only  look  upon  the 
world  in  this  light ; — its  sights  of  sorrows  are  to  calm 
you,  and  its  pleasant  sights  to  try  you.  There  is  a 
bravery  in  thus  going  straightforward,  shrinking  from 
no  duty  little  or  great,  passing  from  high  to  low,  from 
pleasure  to  pain,  and  making  your  principles  strong 
without  their  becumiug  formal.  Learn  to  be  as  the 
Angel,  who  could  descend  among  the  miseries  of  Beth- 
esda,  without  losing  his  heavenly  purity  or  his  perfect 
happiness.  Gain  healing  from  troubled  waters.  Make 
up  your  mind  to  the  prospect  of  sustaining  a  certain 
measure  of  pain  and  trouble  in  your  passage  through 
life ;  by  the  blessing  of  God  this  will  prepare  you  for 
it, — it  will  make  you  thoughtful  and  resigned  without 
interfering  with  your  cheerfulness.  It  will  connect  you 
in  your  own  thoughts  with  the  Saints  of  Scripture,  whose 
lot  it  was  to  be  patterns  of  patient  endurance ;  and  this 
association  brings  to  the  mind  a  peculiar  consolation. 
View  yourselves  and  all  Christians  as  humbly  following 
the  steps  of  Jacob,  whose  days  were  few  and  evil ;  of 
David,  who  in  his  best  estate  was  as  a  shadow  that 
declineth,  and  was  withered  like  grass ;  of  Elijah,  who 
despised  soft  raiment  and  sumptuous  fare;  of  forlorn 
Daniel,  who  led  an  Angel's  life;  and  be  lighthearted 
and  contented,  because  you  are  thus  called  to  be  a 
member  of  Christ's  pilgrim  Church.  Realize  the  para- 
dox of  making  merry  and  rejoicing  in  the  world  because 
it  is  not  your's.  And  if  you  are  hard  to  be  affected  (as 
many  men  are),  and  think  too  little  about  the  changes 
of  life,  going  on  in  a  dull  way  without  hope  or  fear, 
feeling  neither  your  need  nor  the  excellence  of  religion  \ 


of  Human  Sorrow.  2>Zb 

6lien_,  again^  meditate  on  the  mournful  histories  recorded 
in  Scripture^  in  order  that  your  hearts  may  be  opened 
thereby  and  roused.  Read  tho  Gospels  in  particular; 
you  there  find  accounts  of  sick  and  afflicted  persons  in 
every  page  as  mementos.  Above  all,  you  there  read  of 
Christ's  sufferings,  which  I  am  not  now  called  upon  to 
speak  of;  but  the  thought  of  which  is  for  more  than 
enough  to  make  the  world,  bright  as  it  may  be,  look 
dark  and  miserable  in  itself  to  all  true  believers,  even  if 
the  record  of  tJiem  were  the  only  sorrowful  part  of  the 
whole  Bible. 

And  now  I  conclude,  bidding  you  think  much  of  the 
Scripture  history  in  the  light  in  which  I  have  put  it, — 
that  you  may  not  hereafter  find  that  you  have  missed 
one  great  benefit  which  it  was  graciously  intended  to 
convey. 


SERMON  XXVI. 

"  When  I  was  a  child,  I  spake  as  a  child,  I  understood  as  a  child,  1 
thought  as  a  child ;  but  when  I  became  a  man,  I  put  away  childish 
things." — I  Cor.  xiii.  ii. 

TTTHEN  our  Lord  was  going  to  leave  the  world  and 
**  return  to  His  Father,  He  called  His  disciples 
orphaTis ;  children,  as  it  were,  whom  He  had  been 
rearing,  who  were  still  unable  to  direct  themselves, 
and  who  were  soon  to  lose  their  Protector;  but  He 
said, "  I  will  not  leave  you  comfortless  orphans,  I  will 
come  to  you ' ;  *'  meaning  to  say,  He  would  come  again 
to  them  in  the  power  of  His  Holy  Spirit,  who  should  be 
their  present  all-sufficient  Guide,  though  He  Himself 
was  away.  And  we  know,  from  the  sacred  history,  that 
when  the  Holy  Spirit  came,  they  ceased  to  be  the  de- 
fenceless children  they  had  been  before.  He  breathed 
into  them  a  divine  life,  and  gifted  them  with  spiritual 
manhood,  or  perfection,  as  it  is  called  in  Scripture. 
From  that  time  forth,  they  put  away  childish  things ; 

^  John  xiv.  18. 


Christian  Manhood.  3j7 

they  spake,  they  understood,  they  thought,  as  those 
who  had  been  taug-ht  to  govern  themselves ;  and  who, 
having  "  an  unction  from  the  Holy  One,  knew  all 
things/"* 

That  such  a  change  was  wrought  in  the  Apostles, 
according  to  Christ's  promise,  is  evident  from  comparing 
their  conduct  before  the  day  of  Pentecost,  when  the  Holy 
Spirit  descended  on  them,  and  after.  I  need  not  enlarge 
on  their  wonderful  firmness  and  zeal  in  their  Master's 
cause  afterwards.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  plain  from 
the  Gospels,  that  before  the  Holy  Ghost  came  down, 
that  is,  while  Christ  was  still  with  them,  they  were  as 
helpless  and  ignorant  as  children;  had  no  clear  notion 
what  they  ought  to  seek  after,  and  how;  and  were 
carried  astray  by  their  accidental  feelings  and  their 
long-cherished  prejudices. — What  was  it  but  to  act 
the  child,  to  ask  how  many  times  a  fellow-Christian 
should  ojQfend  against  us,  and  we  forgive  him,  as  St. 
Peter  did  ?  or  to  ask  to  see  the  Father,  with  St.  Philip  ? 
or  to  propose  to  build  tabernacles  on  the  mount,  as  if 
they  were  not  to  return  to  the  troubles  of  the  world  ? 
or  to  dispute  who  should  be  the  greatest'?  or  to  look 
for  Christ's  restoring  at  that  time  the  temporal  kingdom 
to  Israel*?  Natural  as  such  views  were  in  the  case  of 
half-instructed  Jews,  they  were  evidently  unworthy  of 
those  whom  Christ  had  made  His,  that  He  might 
''  present  them  perfect"  before  the  throne  of  God. 

Yet  the  first  disciples  of  Christ  at  least  put  off"  their 
vanities  once  for  all,  when  the  Spirit  came  upon  them; 

'  Matt.  xvii.  4;  xviii.  1  j  xx.  20.     John  xiv.  8.  ^  Acts  i.  6. 

[I]  Z 


22^  Christiaii  Manhood. 

but  as  to  ourselves,  the  Spirit  has  long  since  been  poured 
upon  us,  even  from  our  earliest  years ;  yet  it  is  a  serious 
question,  whether  multitudes  of  us,  even  of  those  among 
us  who  make  a  profession  of  religion,  are  even  so  far 
advanced  in  a  knowledge  of  the  Truth  as  the  Apostles 
were  before  the  day  of  Pentecost.  It  may  be  a  profitable 
employment  to-day  to  consider  this  question,  as  suggested 
by  the  text, — to  inquire  how  far  we  have  proceeded  in 
putting  off  such  childish  things  as  are  inconsistent  with 
a  manly,  honest  profession  of  the  Gospel. 

Now,  observe,  I  am  not  inquiring  whether  we  are 
plainly  living  in  sin,  in  wilful  disobedience ;  nor  even 
whether  we  are  yielding  through  thoughtlessness  to  sin- 
ful practices  and  habits.  The  condition  of  those  who 
act  against  their  conscience,  or  who  act  without  con- 
science, that  is,  lightly  and  carelessly,  is  far  indeed  from 
bearing  any  resemblance  to  that  of  the  Apostles  in  the 
years  of  their  early  discipleship.  I  am  supposing  you, 
my  brethren,  to  be  on  the  whole  followers  of  Christ,  to 
profess  to  obey  Him ;  and  I  address  you  as  those  who 
seem  to  themselves  to  have  a  fair  hope  of  salvation.  I 
am  directing  your  attention,  not  to  your  sins,  not  to  those 
faults  and  failings  which  you  know  to  be  such,  and  are 
trying  to  conquer,  as  being  confessedly  evil  in  them- 
selves, but  to  such  of  your  views,  wishes,  and  tastes,  as 
resemble  those  which  the  Apostles  cherished,  true  be- 
lievers though  they  were,  before  they  attained  their 
manhood  in  the  Gospel :  and  I  ask,  how  far  you  have 
dismissed  these  from  your  minds  as  vain  and  trifling; 
that  is,  how  far  you  have  made  what  St.  Paul  in  the 
text  seems  to  consider  the  first  step  in  the  true  spiritual 


Christian  Manhood.  339 

course  of  a  Christian,  on  whom  the  Holy  Ghost  has 
descended. 

1.  For  example.  Let  us  consider  our  love  of  the 
pleasures  of  life.  I  am  willing  to  allow  there  is  an  inno- 
cent love  of  the  world,  innocent  in  itself.  God  made 
the  world,  and  has  sanctioned  the  general  form  of  human 
society,  and  has  given  us  abundant  pleasures  in  it ;  I  do 
not  say  lasting  pleasures,  but  still,  while  they  are  present, 
really  pleasures.  It  is  natural  that  the  young  should 
look  with  hope  to  the  prospect  before  them.  They  cannot 
help  forming  schemes  what  they  will  do  when  they  come 
into  active  life,  or  what  they  would  wish  to  be,  had  they 
their  choice.  They  indulge  themselves  in  fancyings 
about  the  future,  which  they  know  at  the  time  cannot 
come  true.  At  other  times  they  confine  themselves  to 
what  is  possible ;  and  then  their  hearts  burn,  while  they 
dream  of  quiet  happiness,  domestic  comfort,  indepen- 
dence. Or,  with  bolder  views,  they  push  forward  their 
fortunes  into  public  hfe,  and  indulge  ambitious  hopes. 
They  fancy  themselves  rising  in  the  world,  distinguished, 
courted,  admired;  securing  influence  over  others,  and 
rewarded  with  high  station.  James  and  John  had  such 
a  dream  when  they  besought  Christ  that  they  might  sit 
at  His  side  in  the  most  honourable  places  in  His 
kingdom. 

Now  such  dreams  can  hardly  be  called  sinful  in 
themselves,  and  without  reference  to  the  particular 
case  j  for  the  gifts  of  wealth,  power,  and  influence,  and 
much  more  of  domestic  comfoi-t,  come  from  God,  and 
may  be  religiously  improved.  But,  though  not  directly 
eensuraule,  they  are  cliilduh ;  childish  either  in  them- 


<j40  Christian  Manhood, 

selves,  or  at  least  when  cherished  and  indulged; 
childish  in  a  Christian,  who  has  infinitely  higher  views 
to  engross  his  mind ;  and,  as  being  childish,  excusable 
only  in  the  young.  They  are  an  offence  when  retained 
as  life  goes  on ;  but  in  the  young  we  may  regard  them 
after  the  pattern  of  our  Saviour^s  judgment  upon  the 
young  man  who  was  rich  and  noble.  He  is  said  to 
have  "loved  him/'  pitying  (that  is)  and  not  harshly 
denouncing  the  anticipations  which  he  had  formed  of 
happiness  from  wealth  and  power,  yet  withal  not  con- 
cealing from  him  the  sacrifice  of  all  these  which  he 
must  make,  "  if  he  would  be  perfect,^'  that  is,  a  man, 
and  not  a  mere  child  in  the  Gospel. 

2.  But  there  are  other  childish  views  and  habits 
besides,  which  must  be  put  off  while  we  take  on  our- 
selves the  full  profession  of  a  Christian ;  and  these,  not 
so  free  from  intrinsic  guilt  as  those  which  have  been 
already  noticed ; — such  as  the  love  of  display,  greedi- 
ness of  the  world's  praise,  and  the  love  of  the  comforts 
and  luxuries  of  life.  These,  though  wrong  tempers  of 
mind,  still  I  do  not  now  call  by  their  hardest  names, 
because  I  would  lead  persons,  if  I  could,  rather  to  turn 
away  from  them  as  unworthy  a  Christian,  with  a  sort 
of  contempt,  outgrowing  them  as  they  grow  in  grace, 
and  laying  them  aside  as  a  matter  of  course,  while  they 
are  gradually  learning  to  "  set  their  affections  on  things 
above,  not  on  things  of  the  earth.'' 

Children  have  evil  tempers  and  idle  ways  which  we 
do  not  deign  to  speak  seriously  of.  Not  that  we,  in 
any  degree,  approve  them  or  endure  them  on  their  own 
account  j  nay,  we  punish  some  of  them ;  but  we  bear 


Christian  Manhood.  341 

them  in  children,  and  look  for  their  disappearing  as  the 
mind  becomes  more  mature.  And  so  in  religious  mat- 
ters there  are  many  habits  and  views,  which  we  bear 
with  in  the  unformed  Christian,  but  which  we  account 
disgraceful  and  contemptible  should  they  survive  that 
time  when  a  man's  character  may  be  supposed  to  be 
settled.  Love  of  display  is  one  of  these ;  whether  we 
are  vain  of  our  abilities,  or  oiir  acquirements,  or  our 
wealth,  or  our  personal  appearance;  whether  we  dis- 
cover our  weakness  in  talking  much,  or  in  love  of  ma- 
naging, or  again  in  love  of  dress.  Vanity,  indeed,  and 
conceit  are  always  disagreeable,  for  the  reason  that  they 
interfere  with  the  comfort  of  other  persons,  and  vex 
them ;  but  I  am  here  observing,  that  they  are  in  them- 
selves odious,  when  discerned  in  those  who  enjoy  the  full 
privileges  of  the  Church,  and  are  by  profession  men  in 
Christ  Jesus,  odious  from  their  inconsistency  with 
Christian  faith  and  earnestness. 

And  so  with  respect  to  the  love  of  worldly  comforts 
and  luxuries  (which,  unhappily,  often  grows  upon  us 
rather  than  disappears,  as  we  get  old),  whether  or 
not  it  be  natural  in  youth,  at  least,  it  is  (if  I  may  so 
say)  shocking  in  those  who  profess  to  be  "  perfect,^''  if  we 
would  estimate  things  aright ;  and  this  from  its  great 
incongruity  with  the  spirit  of  the  Gospel.  Is  it  not 
something  beyond  measure  strange  and  monstrous  (if 
we  could  train  our  hearts  to  possess  a  right  judgment  in 
all  things),  to  profess  that  our  treasure  is  not  here,  but 
in  heaven  with  Him  who  is  ascended  thither,  and  to  own 
that  we  have  a  cross  to  bear  after  Him,  who  first  suf- 
fered  before  He  triumphed;  and  yet  to  set  ourselves 


34^  Christian  Manhood. 

deliheraiely  to  study  our  own  comfort  as  some  gieat  and 
sufficient  end,  to  go  much  out  of  our  way  to  promote 
it,  to  sacrifice  any  thing  considerable  to  guard  it,  and  to 
be  downcast  at  the  prospect  of  the  loss  of  it  ?  Is  it  pos- 
sible for  a  true  son  of  the  Church  militant,  while  '^  the 
ark,  and  Israel,  and  Judah  abide  in  tents,''  and  the 
"  servants  of  his  Lord  are  encamped  in  the  open  field," 
to  "eat  and  drink*'  securely,  to  wrap  himself  in  the 
furniture  of  wealth,  to  feed  his  eyes  with  the  "  pride  of 
life,"  and  complete  for  himself  the  measure  of  this  world's 
elegancies  ? 

Again,  all  timidity,  irresolution,  fear  of  ridicule,  weak- 
ness of  purpose,  such  as  the  Apostles  showed  when  they 
deserted  Christ,  and  Peter  especially  when  he  denied 
Him,  are  to  be  numbered  among  the  tempers  of  mind 
which  are  childish  as  well  as  sinful ;  which  we  must 
learn  to  despise, — to  be  ashamed  at  ourselves  if  we  are 
influenced  by  them,  and,  instead  of  thinking  the  con- 
quest of  them  a  great  thing,  to  account  it  as  one  of  the 
very  first  steps  towards  being  but  an  ordinary  true 
believer ;  just  as  the  Apostles,  in  spite  of  their  former 
discipleship,  only  commenced  (surely)  their  Christian 
course  at  the  day  of  Pentecost,  and  then  took  to  them- 
selves a  good  measure  of  faith,  boldness,  zeal,  and  self- 
mastery,  not  as  some  great  proficiency  and  as  a  boast, 
but  as  the  very  condition  of  their  being  Christians  at 
all,  as  the  elements  of  spiritual  life,  as  a  mere  outfitting, 
and  a  small  attainment  indeed  in  that  extended  course 
of  sanctification  through  which  the  Blessed  Spirit  is 
willing  to  lead  every  Christian. 

Now  in  this  last  remark  I  have  given  a  chief  reason 


Christian  Manhood.  343 

for  dwelling"  on  the  subject  before  us.  It  is  very  com- 
mon for  Christians  to  make  much  of  what  are  but  petty 
services ;  first  to  place  the  very  substance  of  religious 
obedience  in  a  few  meagre  observances^  or  particular 
moral  precepts  which  are  easily  complied  with,  and 
which  they  think  fit  to  call  giving  up  the  world ;  and 
then  to  make  a  great  vaunting  about  their  having  done 
what,  in  truth,  every  one  who  is  not  a  mere  child  in 
Christ  ought  to  be  able  to  do,  to  congratulate  them- 
selves upon  their  success,  ostentatiously  to  return  thanks 
for  it,  to  condemn  others  who  do  not  happen  to  move 
exactly  along  the  very  same  line  of  minute  practices  in 
detail  which  they  have  adopted,  and  in  consequence  to 
forget  that,  after  all,  by  such  poor  obedience,  right 
though  it  be,  still  they  have  not  approached  even  to  a 
distant  view  of  that  point  in  their  Christian  course,  at 
which  they  may  consider  themselves,  in  St.  PauFs  words, 
to  have  '' attained ^^  a  sure  hope  of  salvation;  just  as 
little  children,  when  they  first  have  strength  to  move 
their  limbs,  triumph  in  every  exertion  of  their  newly- 
acquired  power,  as  in  some  great  victory.  To  put  off 
idle  hopes  of  earthly  good,  to  be  sick  of  flattery  and  the 
world^s  praise,  to  see  the  emptiness  of  temporal  great- 
ness, and  to  be  watchful  against  self-indulgence, — these 
are  but  the  beginnings  of  religion;  these  are  but  the 
preparation  of  heart,  which  religious  earnestness 
implies;  without  a  good  share  of  them,  how  can 
a  Christian  move  a  step?  How  could  Abraham, 
when  called  of  God,  have  even  set  out  from  his 
nati\re  place,  unless  he  had  left  off  to  think  much  of 
this  world,  and    cared    not   for   its  ridicule?      Surely 


344  Christian  ManJiood. 

these  attainments  are  but  our  first  manly  robe^  showiug 
that  childhood  is  gone ;  and,  if  we  feel  the  love  and  fear 
of  the  world  still  active  within  our  hearts,  deeply  must 
we  be  humbled,  yes,  and  alarmed;  and  humbled  even 
though  but  the  traces  remain  of  former  weaknesses. 
But  even  if  otherwise,  what  thank  have  we  ?  See  what 
the  Apostles  were,  by  way  of  contrast,  and  then  you  will 
see  what  is  the  true  life  of  the  Spirit,  the  substance  and 
full  fruit  of  holiness.  To  love  our  brethren  with  a 
resolution  which  no  obstacles  can  overcome,  so  as  almost 
to  consent  to  an  anathema  on  ourselves,  if  so  be  we  may 
save  those  who  hate  us, — to  labour  in  God^s  cause 
against  hope,  and  in  the  midst  of  sufferings, — to  read 
the  events  of  life,  as  they  occur,  by  the  interpretation 
which  Scripture  gives  them,  and  that,  not  as  if  the 
language  were  strange  to  us,  but  to  do  it  promptly, — to 
perform  all  our  relative  daily  duties  most  watchfully, — 
to  check  every  evil  thought,  and  bring  the  whole  mind 
into  captivity  to  the  law  of  Christ, — to  be  patient, 
cheerful,  forgiving,  meek,  honest,  and  true, — to  persevere 
in  this  good  work  till  death,  making  fresh  and  fresh 
advances  towards  perfection — and  after  all,  even  to  the 
end,  to  confess  ourselves  unprofitable  servants,  nay,  to 
feel  ourselves  corrupt  and  sinful  creatures,  who  (with  all 
our  proficiency)  would  still  be  lost  unless  God  bestowed  on 
us  His  mercy  in  Christ ; — these  are  some  of  the  difiicult 
realities  of  religious  obedience,  which  we  must  pursue, 
and  which  the  Apostles  in  high  measure  attained,  and 
which  we  may  well  bless  God^s  holy  name,  if  He  enables 
us  to  make  our  own. 

Let  us  then  take  it  for  granted,  as  a  truth  which 


Ckristian  Manhood.  345 

cannot  be  gainsaid^  tliat  to  break  with  the  world,  and 
make  religion  our  first  concern,  is  only  to  cease  to  be 
children ;  and,  again,  that  in  consequence,  those  Chris- 
tians who  have  come  to  mature  years,  and  yet  do  not 
even  so  much  as  this,  are  "  in  the  presence  of  the  Angels 
of  God  "  an  odious  and  unnatural  spectacle,  a  mockery 
of  Christianity.  I  do  not  say  what  such  men  are  in 
God's  sight,  and  what  are  their  prospects  for  the  next 
world,  for  that  is  a  fearful  thought, — and  we  ought  to  be 
influenced  by  motives  far  higher  than  that  mere  slavish 
dread  of  future  punishment  to  which  such  a  consideration 
would  lead  us. 

But  here  some  one  may  ask,  whether  I  am  not 
speaking  severely  in  urging  so  many  sacrifices  at  the 
beginning  of  true  Christian  obedience.  In  conclusion, 
then,  I  observe,  in  the  first  place,  that  I  have  not  said  a 
word  against  the  moderate  and  thankful  enjoyment  of 
this  life's  goods,  when  they  actually  come  in  our  way ; 
but  against  the  wishing  earnestly  for  them,  seeking 
them,  and  preferring  them  to  God's  righteousness, 
which  is  commonly  done.  Further,  I  am  not  excluding 
from  the  company  of  Christians  all  who  cannot  at  once 
make  up  their  minds  thus  vigorously  to  reject  the  world, 
when  its  goods  are  dangerous,  inexpedient,  or  unsuitable; 
but  excluding  them  from  the  company  of  mature,  manly 
Christians.  Doubtless  our  Lord  deals  gently  with  us. 
He  has  put  His  two  Sacraments  apart  from  each  other. 
Baptism  first  admits  us  to  His  favour ;  His  Holy 
Supper  brings  us  among  His  perfect  ones.  He  has  put 
from  fourteen  to  twenty  years  between  them,  in  the 
ordinary  course  of  things,  that  we  may  have  time  to 


346  Christian  Manhood. 

count  the  cost,  and  make  our  decision  calmly.  Only 
there  must  be  no  standing  still, — there  cannot  be ;  time 
goes  slowly,  yet  surely,  from  birth  to  the  age  of  manhood, 
and  in  like  manner,  our  minds,  though  slowly  formed 
to  love  Christ,  must  still  be  forming.  It  is  when  men 
are  mature  in  years,  and  yet  are  "  children  in  under- 
standing," then  they  are  intolerable,  because  they  have 
exceeded  their  season,  and  are  out  of  place.  Then  it  is 
that  ambitious  thoughts,  trifling  pursuits  and  amuse- 
ments, passionate  wishes  and  keen  hopes,  and  the  love  of 
display,  are  directly  sinful,  because  they  are  by  that  time 
deliberate  sins.  While  they  were  children,  "  they  spake 
as  children,  understood,  thought  as  children  ;"  but  when 
they  became  men,  "  it  was  high  time  to  awake  out  of 
sleep;"  and  "put  away  childish  things."  And  if  they 
have  continued  children  instead  of  "  having  their  senses 
exercised  to  discriminate  between  the  excellent  and 
the  base,"  alas !  what  deep  repentance  must  be  theirs, 
before  they  can  know  what  true  peace  is ! — what  self- 
reproach  and  sharp  self-discipline,  before  their  eyes 
can  be  opened  to  see  efifectually  those  truths  which  are 
"  spiritually  discerned  !  " 

So  much  on  the  case  of  those  who  neglect  to  grow 
betimes  into  the  hope  of  their  calling.  As  to  the  young 
themselves,  it  is  plain  that  nothing  I  have  said  can  give 
encouragement  to  them  to  acquiesce  in  their  present  in- 
complete devotion  of  themselves  to  God,  because  it  will 
be  as  much  as  they  can  do,  even  with  their  best  efforts, 
to  make  their  growth  of  wisdom  and  of  stature  keep  pace 
with  each  other.  And  if  there  be  any  one  who,  as 
thinking  the  enjoyments  of  youth  must  soon  be  relin- 


Christian  Manhood.  347 

quished,  deliberately  resolves  to  mate  the  most  of  theiQ 
before  the  duties  of  manhood  come  upon  him^  such  an 
onCj  in  doing  so,  is  rendering'  it  impossible  for  him  to 
give  them  up,  when  he  is  called  to  do  so.  As  for  those 
who  allow  themselves  in  what,  even  in  youth,  is  clearly 
sinful, — the  deliberate  neglect  of  prayer,  profaneness, 
riotous  living,  or  other  immorality, — the  case  of  such 
persons  has  not  even  entered  into  my  mind,  when  I 
spoke  of  youthful  thoughtlessness.  They,  of  course, 
have  no  "  inheritance  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ  and  of 
God.'' 

But  if  there  be  those  among  us,  and  such  there  well 
may  be,  who,  like  the  young  ruler,  "  worshipping 
Christ,''  and  "loved"  by  Him,  and  obeying  His  command- 
ments from  their  youth  up,  yet  cannot  but  be  "  sorrow- 
ful "  at  the  thought  of  giving  up  their  pleasant  visions, 
their  childish  idolatries,  and  their  bright  hopes  of  earthly 
happiness,  such  I  bid  be  of  good  cheer,  and  take  courage. 
What  is  it  your  Saviour  requires  of  you,  more  than  will 
also  be  exacted  from  you  by  that  hard  and  evil  master, 
who  desires  your  ruin  ?  Christ  bids  you  give  up  the 
world ;  but  will  not,  at  any  rate,  the  world  soon  give  up 
you  ?  Can  you  keep  it,  by  being  its  slave  ?  Will  not 
he,  whose  creature  of  temptation  it  is,  the  prince  of  the 
world,  take  it  from  you,  whatever  he  at  present  pro- 
mises ?  What  does  your  Lord  require  of  you,  but  to 
look  at  all  things  as  they  really  are,  to  account  them 
merely  as  His  instruments,  and  to  believe  that  good  is 
good  because  He  wills  it,  that  He  can  bless  as  easily  by 
hard  stone  as  by  bread,  in  the  desert  as  in  the  fruitful 
field,  if  we  have  faith  in  Him  who  gives  us  the  true 


348  Christian  Manhood. 

bread  from  heaven  ?  Daniel  and  his  friends  were  princes 
of  the  royal  house  of  David ;  they  were  "  children  well- 
favoured,  and  skilful  in  all  wisdom,  cunning  in  know- 
ledge, and  understanding-  science  ' ;"  yet  they  had  faith 
to  refuse  even  the  literal  meat  and  drink  given  them, 
because  it  was  an  idol's  sacrifice,  and  God  sustained 
them  without  it.  For  ten  days  of  trial  they  lived  on 
pulse  and  water ;  yet  "  at  the  end,''  says  the  sacred 
record,  "  their  countenances  appeared  fairer  and  fatter 
in  flesh  than  all  the  children  which  did  eat  the 
portion  of  the  king's  meat."  Doubt  not,  then. 
His  power  to  bring  you  through  any  difficulties, 
who  gives  you  the  command  to  encounter  them. 
He  has  showed  you  the  way;  He  gave  up  the 
home  of  His  mother  Mary  to  "  be  about  His 
Father's  business,"  and  now  He  but  bids  you  take  up 
after  Him  the  cross  which  He  bore  for  you,  and  "  fiU 
up  what  is  wanting  of  His  afflictions  in  your  flesh." 
Be  not  afraid, — it  is  but  a  pang  now  and  then,  and  a 
struggle ;  a  covenant  with  your  eyes,  and  a  fasting  in 
the  wilderness,  some  calm  habitual  watchfulness,  and 
the  hearty  effort  to  obey,  and  all  will  be  well.  Be  not 
afraid.  He  is  most  gracious,  and  will  bring  you  on  by 
little  and  little.  He  does  not  show  you  whither  He  is 
leading  you ;  you  might  be  frightened  did  you  see  the 
whole  prospect  at  once.  Sufficient  for  the  day  is  its 
own  evil.  Follow  His  plan;  look  not  on  anxiously; 
look  down  at  your  present  footing  "  lest  it  be  turned 
out  of  the  way/'  but  speculate  not  about  the  future. 

^  Dan.  1.  4- 


Christian  Manhood.  349 

I  can  well  believe  that  you  have  hopes  now,  which  you 
cannot  give  up,  and  even  which  support  you  in  your 
present  course.  Be  it  so ;  whether  they  will  be  ful- 
filled, or  not,  is  in  His  hand  He  may  be  pleased  to 
grant  the  desires  of  your  heart  j  if  so,  thank  Him  for 
His  mercy ;  only  be  sure,  that  all  will  be  for  youi 
highest  good,  and  "  as  thy  days,  so  shall  thy  strength 
be.  There  is  none  like  unto  the  God  of  Jeshurun,  who 
rideth  upon  the  heaven  in  thy  help,  and  in  His  excel- 
lency on  the  sky.  The  Eternal  God  is  thy  refuge,  and 
underneath  are  the  everlasting  arms  ^"  He  knows  no 
variableness,  neither  shadow  of  turning ;  and  when  we 
outgrow  our  childhood,  we  but  approach,  however  feebly, 
to  His  likeness,  who  has  no  youth  nor  age,  who  has  no 
passions,  no  hopes,  nor  fears,  but  who  loves  truth,  purity, 
and  mercy,  and  who  is  supremely  blessed,  because  He  is 
supremely  holy. 

Lastly,  while  we  thus  think  of  Him,  let  us  not  forget 
to  be  up  and  doing.  Let  us  beware  of  indulging  a 
mere  barren  faith  and  love,  which  dreams  instead  of 
working,  and  is  fastidious  when  it  should  be  hardy. 
This  is  only  spiritual  childhood  in  another  form;  for 
the  Holy  Ghost  is  the  Author  of  active  good  works,  and 
leads  us  to  the  observance  of  all  lowly  deeds  of  ordinary 
obedience  as  the  most  pleasing  sacrifice  to  God. 

1  Deut.  xxxiii.  25—27. 


END  OF  VOL.  I. 


Printed  by  T.  and  A.  Constable,  Printers  to  His  Majesty 
at  tlie  Edinburgli  University  Press 


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